LA Rams increase roster by signing a dozen familiar faces

Defensive linemen (2)

When the LA Rams drafted defensive end Earnest Brown IV in 2021, the opportunity to make the roster was always going to be quite an uphill battle. Even with both DE Morgan Fox and Michael Brockers parting ways with the team, the front offense had stashed a number of very talented players on the practice squad the previous year.

The Rams typically carry six defensive linemen on the roster to handle the duties of their 3-4 defensive front. Brown was not quite enough of a difference-maker in 2021 to crack the team’s 53-man roster. But that could change this year as the team will look to restock the roster after another wave of players tests their market value in free agency.

The team did not spend a draft pick on their defensive end, Jonah Williams, in 2020. And the 6-foot-5 275-pound defensive end has already seen his share of playing time. In 2021, he saw action on a limited basis in eight games on 96 defensive snaps and was able to record five tackles for the team in that time.

Williams had a good preseason in 2021, so even without showing up often in 2021, it’s fair to expect him to have a strong preseason in 2022. And the unorthodox roster-building techniques of this team could mean that the Rams have an unexpected opening for a defensive end. But the most likely scenario is that Williams gets more playing time the old-fashioned way: By earning it.