8 players who are likely on the LA Rams roster bubble

8 players who are likely on the LA Rams roster bubble before training camp

The LA Rams are the first NFL team to begin the painful process of downsizing the team’s roster to fit under the 80-man ceiling by training camp. They most certainly will not be the last, that’s for sure. The Rams have parted ways with safety Jake Gervase, tight end Ethan Wolf, receiver Greg Dortch, and center Nate Trewyn. With the exception of Gervase, all cuts were made on players who were signed to future reserve contracts in January 2020. Of that original list of nine players, three are now gone.  Of the remaining players signed from that list, are any at risk of sitting on the bubble now?

Well, we know that backup quarterback John Wolford is safe. I would add the safety/cornerback background of Adonis Alexander as reason enough to warrant advancing to training camp. Outside linebacker Jachai Polite was all the rage for his pass rush potential, projecting as high as a day two draft pick in 2019. At 6-foot-3 and 258-pounds, he was a low-risk signing after being drafted and cut by the New York Jets. His elite burst towards the quarterback will give him a pass until training camp, where coaches Brandon Staley and Joe Barry will decide if he is worth further investment of their time.

Eight players sitting on a bubble

The first player on a bubble Is defensive lineman Marquise Copeland. While the 6-foot-2 287-pound defensive lineman was projected to the 53 man roster a year ago, he could not crack the roster then. Since that time, the talent level for the Rams has literally shot through the roof. Bringing back Michael Brockers and signing A’Shawn Robinson has placed a squeeze on marginal veterans.  He needed preseason games to have a shot. No preseason games mean no chance.

Outside linebacker Jeff Holland is my placeholder here. He is a 6-foot-2 249-pound edge rusher who played three games with the Denver Broncos in 2018.  Since he is on his fifth NFL team in two seasons, he is the likely bubble player. But if he warrants a chance in training camp, then Polite will be forfeit.

Offensive guard Jeff Kolone may be versatile and a returning player for the LA Rams. But if center Nate Trewyn, who I thought may make it as far as the practice squad, can’t get to training camp, then the drafting of Tremayne Anchrum will likely spell Kolone to the roster bubble.  He’s a good size at 6-foot-3 and 291-pounds. And he’s certainly versatile enough. But whatever role he might have claimed was taken away when the team drafted Anchrum. Much like Trewyn, I expect if he is cut, the young man will sign with another team quickly.

Beyond the reserves, and into the meat of the roster

Running back John Kelly is the next on the bubble. While he was added in 2019 as an insurance policy, he never seemed to catch the coaches’ interest in seeing what he had to offer, despite the lackluster rushing game. He was more active in 2018 but fell back off the team’s radar in 2019.  In fact, he was waived in 2019 before being re-signed. The Rams are moving in a new direction in the running game, and I suspect that Kelly won’t win the chance to reprove himself in training camp.

Return specialist Nsimba Webster lands on the bubble as the other veteran from the return game. With the team cutting Greg Dortch, the Rams have similar logic to part ways with Webster. After all, the days of little guys who run fast seem to be sunsetting for the Rams this year. Not only will the team benefit from looking to larger return specialists, but the team has loaded up on immensely talented players this year who are very inexpensive and possess huge potential. Since the class of 2020 was so talented, the Rams loaded up the roster with inexpensive talent. Webster falls to that talented receiver class of 2020.

More bubble surprises

From the moment that Greg Zuerlein opted to sign with the Dallas Cowboys, the LA Rams committed to finding his replacement. The team did so by signing CFL kicker Lirim  Hajrullahu, XFL kicker Austin McGinnis, and by drafting kicker Sam Sloman. Since the Rams spent a draft pick on Sloman, I expect he will survive into training camp. Without any evidence, I expect that the buzz over CFL kicker Lirim Hajrullahu gets him a waiver to training camp, and perhaps even the starting job. That means Austin McGinnis is the odd man out and is likely on the bubble now.

The Rams added undrafted free agents to the roster in 2019 who have not had much of an impact. While the size of tight end Kendall Blanton casts a huge shadow at 6-foot-6 and 262-pounds, his impact was not nearly as significant. He only showed up in one game in 2019, and with the addition of tight end Brycen Hopkins via the 2020 NFL Draft, Blanton is pushed onto the roster bubble.

Linebacker Natrez Patrick is the final player on the LA Rams roster bubble. While he struggled to remain on track for a football career in college, he did eventually make it to the NFL. But in 12 games he generated just two tackles on special teams.  The 6-foot-2 242-pound inside linebacker is a returning veteran. But the first wave of cuts suggests the Rams are more interested in parting ways with marginal performers from last year and giving more benefit of the doubt to players they have little to no information to go on. The Rams loaded up on a fresh class of talented linebackers this year. Patrick pays the price.