LA Rams: Say farewell to the first five waived players of 2021

Three defensive players sent packing

The LA Rams were a little bit more certain about the defensive side of the ball, with two linebackers and a defensive lineman getting off the bus at this stop. While this is not necessarily the end of the dream to play in the NFL, this one could certainly be construed as a minor setback.

When the LA Rams signed up inside linebacker Derrick Moncrief, the team needed depth at the position due to injuries and defections, and he had just been released from the Las Vegas Raiders who had just signed free agent ILB Cory Littleton. So it made sense for the Rams to give Moncrief a chance to develop and earn his roster spot with the Rams. In the meantime, other players got valuable experience, some got healthy again, and the Rams added two more players to the mix. Moncrief will likely have a shot at another NFL roster, or he could opt to return to the CFL where he once earned the honor of All-Star

The case for defensive tackle George Silvanic was going to be tough sledding, as the team returned a lot of players from last year’s roster and practice squad, and then drafted two more defensive linemen. Coming into the LA Rams defensive lineman room as an undrafted free agent this year was tough. Even as he did record a tackle and seemed to hold his own against the Chargers, he was in a spot that was too deep for the LA Rams. He could be claimed by another team in need of some depth.

The fate of outside linebacker Max Roberts was sealed after Justin Lawler showed up in a very big way against the LA Chargers. Roberts was, to put it bluntly, never looking at a role larger than that of Derek Rivers from a year ago. With the Rams hoping for good health with both Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and Terrell Lewis, the team was extra cautious about depth. That seems to have been remedied to an extent by the excellent play of Justin Hollins and the suddenly surging play of Lawler.  Too many solid players ahead of him, so this is where the young man gets off the bus.