Unsexy but wise, the LA Rams sign TE Kendall Blanton to roster

The LA Rams did not wait too long before filing their active roster spot. After what must have been a rather impressive game for backup tight end Kendall Blanton, it appears as though the team has signed him to the 53-man roster. After all of the fuss and furor over the past several days, signing a backup tight end off the practice squad is… unsexy.

True. But it may be the wisest move by the team’s front office all week.

The move is completely understandable, as Blanton is 6-foot-6, weighs 260-pounds, has the size and power of an offensive tackle, and can catch the football in a pinch. The Rams’ running game suffered significantly in Week 7 as a result of not using 12-personnel (two tight-ends). Blanton restores that option, and in a big way.

But in the topsy-turvy world that is the LA Rams personnel decisions, Blanton’s one and only appearance so far this season resulted in two offensive snaps, and six snaps on special teams. Hardly the kind of significant test drive you might expect to sign the guy to the active roster, is it?

So what team transactions were packaged in advance of Week 8? Well, not only did the Rams sign Blanton, but the team activated two defensive backs: Antoine Brooks and Tyler Hall; from the practice squad for this game.

With the LA Rams currently listing three of their defensive backs as questionable for Week 8, it makes sense for the team to activate two defensive backs for this week’s game. Even if Jordan Fuller, Jalen Ramsey, and Robert Rochell are all a go for Week 8, the Rams can assign both elevated DBs to coverage units.

Now, let’s unpack what all of this means.

LA Rams Roster move I:

The first player listed is former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Antoine Brooks. He is a 5-foot-11 205-pound defensive back who has an intriguing background as both cornerback and safety. He had a great preseason for the Steelers but lost the numbers game as they were well stocked with DBs at the time.

Brooks boasted an impressive 2020 NFL Draft profile, landing a projection for a fifth-round selection. He fell to the Steelers at the 198th overall pick of the draft, a sixth-round selection. He managed to play in four games for the Steelers in 2020, getting four tackles and denying the only pass targeting his receiver.

The Rams added Brooks on September 3rd, 2021, and this is his first occasion to see action for the Rams this season. He could be someone to watch, as he clearly had a command of pass coverage in preseason games with Pittsburgh.

His role may be a bit limited, but he’ll be worth keeping an eye out for in this game. As a hybrid defensive back, the Rams can mix and match him in virtually any role in the secondary, likely in matchups that favor his skillsets. Just how good will he play for the Rams? That’s to be determined. But he was putting on a pretty good show in the preseason, and I have every expectation that he will play even better for the Rams if he takes the football field.

Will he see any work on the Rams defense? While the answer to that question is probably unlikely, he remains a very intriguing player who could improve his stock significantly with a good performance in Week 8.

LA Rams roster move II:

The second player activated to see action against the Houston Texans is one of the defensive backs, Tyler Hall. Hall was claimed off the Falcons’ waiver wire by the LA Rams in August 2021. He previously played for Raheem Morris when Morris was the interim head coach of the Atlanta Falcons in 2020.

Hall is a savant of NFL special teams, a truly eccentric defender that will race downfield and hurl himself at the kick-or-punt returner with solid force to stop all forward-progress dead in its tracks. His reckless style allowed him to pile up six tackles for the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. So far, he has yet to record a tackle for the Rams in 24 special teams snaps.

It seems unlikely that Hall will take the field with the Rams defense, but should he do so, he will likely be assigned to handle the slot receiver. Hall is 5-foot-10 and weighs 190-pounds, limiting his effectiveness with the larger and more physical outside receivers in the NFL today.

But even with special teams, Hall can be a play-maker. It’s very clear that the Rams are manufacturing a lot of tweaks to the roster in advance of the NFL Trade Deadline on November 2nd. Hall can help the Rams find what the team is looking for by showing up big when he has the opportunity to do so.

The Rams have certainly made a number of roster moves this week. Some were intriguing. Some were downright puzzling. And some were unsexy but incredibly wise. At the end of the day, the Rams have a full 53-man roster.

Now the question becomes how long will it take for the Rams to address the two vacancies on the team’s practice squad?