LA Rams News: Many 2020 rookies won’t make it to training camp

Schedule upheaval to roster pruning

So the latest news to be reported is perhaps the most damning for all NFL rookies hoping to earn a spot on their team’s active roster. In the latest report, NFL teams will likely have smaller rosters at their 2020 NFL Training camps. Right now, the total is still in question. But it does mean that many LA Rams rookies will not even have an opportunity to practice, train, or participate in either of the team’s two preseason games.  Pretty hard reality to face, particularly after signing on with the team.

This pruning of the training camp roster is separate from previous reports that the NFL was considering expanding practice squad rosters to allow for more players to be available for teams should the active roster face quarantining multiple players due to a COVID-19 outbreak.

Rams roster complications

Even though the LA Rams had a significant number of returning players from 2019, the team was positioned for some extremely heated competition at several key positions: quarterback, linebacker, slot cornerback, offensive line, and kicker. At quarterback, returning veteran John Wolford has only a slight edge over rookies Josh Love and Bryce Perkins. At linebacker, the Rams have many talented players who could all earn playing time if they have the opportunity to do so. At slot cornerback and offensive line, the Rams have plenty of worthy veterans, but talented rookies promised to make things very interesting. And at kicker? The Rams must choose from three very talented kickers.

That will all now take place in much less time than previous seasons, with fewer preseason games, and some cuts will likely occur before coaches ever see the players on the practice field. Even though the LA Rams signing players to the practice squad is weeks away, the initial roster cuts taking place before the team even begins training camp will likely be too soon for the team to consider any of them for that roster.

We’ll analyze the Rams roster to the best of our ability given these circumstances, and try to identify players who are facing being cut prior to the team’s training camp.  The first cut is the deepest is a famous song lyric originally sung by P.P. Arnold – The First Cut Is The Deepest (1967) and was written by Cat Stevens. That first cut of the LA Rams roster to ready the team for training camp is not only the deepest, it’s the hardest to justify.