The LA Rams roster clears two spots for 17 UDFA signings

The LA Rams ended up needing to sign 15 players after the 2022 NFL Draft. But the personnel department, eager to address the positional needs suffered as a result of the offseason and free agency, went on a bit of a shopping spree and overcommitted. Huh? Is that possible? It not only is possible, it happened. So who are the casualties?

Yes, the LA Rams are guilty of overbuying after the draft. So what to do? Well, the first option would be to retract the just signed contract of the rookie hopefuls. But that would be a rather sensitive matter, wouldn’t it?

Instead, the team decided to waive two players who were recently signed to Reserve/future contracts. They are defensive back Antoine Brooks Jr. and running back Javian Hawkins, which the LA Rams’ official website confirmed on May 4, 2022. So who are they? And why are they the two players chosen to be released?

Running back Javian Hawkins was bound to be a roster casualty at the moment that the LA Rams drafted Notre Dame’s running back Kyren Williams. Before Williams was selected, Hawkins was the only non-injured running back on the Rams roster for the 2022 NFL season. Standing 5-foot-9 and weighing 196-pounds, he likely was slated to compete for the LA Rams’ change-of-pace rusher.

Kyren Williams will likely compete for that role and has a stronger and more diverse arsenal of power running as well as offering up a solid receiving target.

Antoine Brooks was signed off waivers from the Pittsburgh Steeler in September 2021 and played a special teams role for the LA Rams in eight games through the 2021 NFL season. He even played in two playoff games as well.

While he earned a contributory role on special teams, he never cracked the defensive secondary, forcing the team to un-retire veteran safety Eric Weddle in time for the NFL Playoffs. The secondary was clearly an area of intense focus, as the team drafted four defensive backs, and then followed that up by signing another five defensive backs after the draft.

The front office is not done just yet. The team will almost certainly add another QB for another arm in training camp. And with just nine wide receivers on the roster, another receiver or two could be in the works too.  Stay tuned, because the LA Rams roster moves never seem to end.