7 underdog LA Rams UDFAs who have real shot to earn roster spot

These 7 LA Rams UDFAs may be underdogs, but they have real shots to earn  spots on the Rams’ roster

The LA Rams roster restocking is meeting a bit of a hitch this season. With no OTAs, a brief training camp, and shorter preseason schedule, the rookies who signed contracts with the team after the 2020 NFL Draft have their work cut out for them. While the path to the 55-man roster was always an uphill climb, the slope has become far steeper. After all, the road to the NFL happens in three ways.

Either a player is heavily scouted, analyzed, assessed, and drafted by the team.  The second avenue is for a player’s college coaching staff to contact the coaches of NFL teams prior to the draft and lobby for that player’s selection.  Finally, players who have profile characteristics or a niche role are signed by the team after the draft to round out the team’s 90 man roster. They are signed without much coaching debate, staff review, organization meetings, or buy-in from coaches.  They commit to NFL teams that have a list of player characteristics of players to sign up.

Just add time + opportunity and shake well

Undrafted players simply need the time and opportunities to compete for roster spots, The reason is that returning players and even drafted players hold a distinct advantage over undrafted players.  Those signing after the NFL Draft are made by the personnel department to round the roster up to 90.  Coaches are not as familiar with their backgrounds and become familiar with them on the practice field and in preseason games.

Those avenues are shorter and more narrow now. Slip up on any opportunity can be a significant blow to the hopes of a long and prosperous NFL career. But that will only forge a stronger resolve for these players. But the winds of fortune have changed direction once more. In the latest reports about the 2020 NFL Season, teams may be forced to shave an additional $40 million from their salary in 2020 to prepare for the steep drop projected for 2021. Instantly, the inexpensive cost of players signed up after the 2020 NFL Draft has an added financial incentive to make the team. Who might benefit? We have seven players on our radar: