LA Rams News: ‘Three’s a crowd’ at LS with latest signing

The LA Rams know that LS Jake McQuade is projected to hit free agency in 2021. So they wisely added Colin Holba to the practice squad during the 2020 NFL season. That signing was as much of an effort to have someone ‘In case of emergency’ signed as anything, as it would give the Rams a bonafide option in the unfortunate event that McQuaide tested positive for COVID-19 before an NFL game.

But the signing had more potential than just a COVID-19 proxy long snapper.  As we stated from the start, McQuaide is a 2021 NFL Free agent. And so, adding Holba allowed the Rams plenty of time to audition a potential replacement for McQuaide. Even as Jake McQuaide finished out the final season of his contract, the Rams had weeks to watch and comparison shop.

As most practice squad players, they signed Holba to a reserve/futures contract. Now, they’ve added a second long snapper to a reserve/futures contract, LS Steven Wirtel.

LS Steven Wirtel is the first immigrant from the Detroit Lions since the Matthew Stafford signing, but he may not be the last. He was an undrafted free agent signed to the Detroit Lions after the 2020 NFL Draft. While he did not make it as far as their 53-man roster, he was signed to the Lions’ practice squad. Iowa State University Steven Wirtel and LSU’s Blake Ferguson were the only two LSs invited to the 2020 Senior Bowl.  He was even awarded a draftable grade by ESPN’s Mel Kiper.

The addition of Wirtel clearly makes the retention of McQuaide seem less likely.  McQuaide, age 33, has been with the Rams since 2011.  It may be that this is the year that the Rams and long time LS McQuaide part ways. Should that prove to be the case, the team will have two options to choose from for their next long snapper.