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

One special team’s players sent packing

Special teams’ play is getting more than a fresh coat of paint, that’s for sure.  It’s difficult to track the process used to arrive at some of the decisions last year, but it seemed after the team decided to start placekicker Sam Sloman and KR/PR Nsimba Webster, that process may have been critically flawed. That does not seem to be the case this year, as the message is quite clear. There is no room for a placekicker who misses a field goal.

Of course,. that refers to placekicker Austin MacGinnis, the last remaining candidate to the trio of placekickers who auditioned for the Rams job a year ago. Sam Sloman signed on with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Lirim Hajrullahu is currently a free agent, and now, Austin MacGinnis will be a free agent as well. Before he was cut, MacGinnis was destined to a role no higher than the practice squad. Now, it appears that the team won’t have that role for him.

That is not to say that the kicking competition won’t resume. Placekicker Matt Gay missed an extra point against the LA Chargers. While that’s just one miss, it’s enough to create a trend that could open up the competition for kicker once more. New ST Coordinator Joe DeCamillis isn’t screwing around. He wants to reclaim a top spot for the Rams among special team rankings, and if he is not convinced that a player can help to deliver that, they are gone.

Will this do it for now? Likely yes. Although there is a growing consensus that the Rams can and will claim a player off waivers if the organization believes it is an upgrade and will make any and all necessary roster adjustments at that time. Of course, in one week’s time, NLT August 24, 2021, the LA Rams will be required to pare down once more to a maximum roster of 80. Keep that in mind as the LA Rams face the Las Vegas Raiders. this weekend.

Jobs are still on the line.