LA Rams News: Cuts begin with reports of four players released

In LA Rams News: the team is already paring the Rams roster to make the 80-man limit for training camp, reportedly cutting four today

Life comes at you fast in the NFL. Perhaps never as quickly as the players on the LA Rams roster hoping to remain on the roster long enough to make it to training camp.  Today, the journey ends for four Rams players.  That’s due to the latest report out from ESPN’s LA Rams correspondent Linsey Thiry indicating that the Rams have cut four players: safety Jake Gervase, tight end Ethan Wolf, receiver Greg Dortch, and center Nate Trewyn.

While no major surprises, there are some curious trends in this first wave of cuts from the Rams that are worth noting. Tight end Ethan Wolf was just added via a future reserves contract in January 2020, one of three players cut today from that transaction. The addition of Brycen Hopkins in the 2020 NFL Draft likely placed Wolf on the early bubble. Safety Jake Gervase is the only player not added from January future reserves signing. He appeared in two games for the Rams last year but faced a steep uphill battle as the Rams drafted both Terrell Burgess and Jordan Fuller at the safety position.

A deeper dive into roster cuts

KR Greg Dortch was projected as a strong candidate for a return specialist role this year. In fact, he was even projected as a starting kick returner for the team based on his 2019 experience.  This clears the way for an undrafted player to make the roster. Who? We named seven who would compete for the role. That number is now down to six, which is convincing me that the Rams are prepared to commit to giving Branon Polk the shot.  ST coordinator John Bonamego wants to get his stamp on special teams, and the speed of Polk in the return game will be incredible to witness.

Interior offensive lineman Nate Trewyn was expected to compete for a role on the practice squad, if not the roster outright. In fact,  NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports the cut as a surprise but comments that Trewyn will be claimed by another NFL team. That cut may have occurred as a result of the Rams signing an impressive center after the NFL Draft by the name of Cohl Cabral.

Here we go. Who might stay?

The Rams are the first NFL team to begin the painful process of paring down the roster. The cuts, while disappointing, do not appear to have triggered any surprises just yet. The team will need to trim the roster by six more players, and they have six remaining from that futures reserve contract, so those players are likely on the bubble. Of course, John Wolford is safe. And I think the Rams will be happy to give DB Adonis Alexander and LB Jachai Polite long looks in training camp.

The Rams could be willing to part ways with one more offensive lineman, perhaps a running back, a defensive tackle, a linebacker, a kicker, and another return specialist to make the 80-man roster.  I can’t see the team parting ways with linebackers until they suit up and the team gets to see how they look in person.  Defensive backs are also a spot that cuts will likely come later, as they will be most involved in the disguised coverages.