LA Rams News: Odd time to waive practice squad OLB Jachai Polite

In LA Rams News: The team announced waiving outside linebacker Jachai Polite from the team’s practice squad

The LA Rams have yet to sign players to reserve/future contracts in building next year’s roster, but they are still tweaking this year’s cast of players. The latest mildly surprising transaction was reported today as the LA Rams acted to protect their emergency kickers in punter Brandon Wright and placekicker Austin MacGinnis for this weekend’s game.

Both players are vital to the team in the improbable event that either punter Johnny Hekker or kicker Matt Gay have a positive test for COVID-19 before Saturday’s Divisional Round with the Green Bay  Packers is played. So what exactly did the Rams do?

So what transpired?

Impolite to speculate about Polite

The Rams moving to reduce their practice squad to 15 players by waiving outside linebacker Jachai Polite can only be for one of two reasons. Either the Rams have become so enamored with a player that they believe it is imperative to sign him to their practice squad and needed to waive Polite to create the open roster spot to do so. Or the Rams and Polite’s relationship had deteriorated to the point where the Rams did not wish to carry him on their practice squad roster any longer.

6-foot-3 258-pound outside linebacker Jachai Polite signed on to the LA Rams practice squad in September 2019. He remained a developmental player throughout 2019, but thanks to a shortage of edge rushers found a niche role for the team on special teams and as a cameo player on defense. Despite just 43 defensive snaps and 128 snaps on special teams, Polite did record four tackles and one quarterback sack.

Good time to sign one with a new team

Over the course of the 2020 NFL season, the Rams were able to add linebacker Justin Hollins and edge rusher Derek Rivers. Those two have likely supplanted Polite on the team’s depth chart, mandating the return of Polite to the practice squad late in the season. Now with the NFL season over for all but eight teams, his release now may be a mutual agreement to allow him to sign one for a role with another team.

While Polite was a fan favorite this year, particularly when the depth at the edge position was very shallow, he did little more for the team than flash once.  The timing of this very minor move is likely indicative that the team and player are parting ways. It’s customary to wish a player well, and we most certainly do. But it’s also a bit disappointing when the hopes of finding a player to contribute must be released as well.