3 notable Rams who may have clinched roster spots after sitting out vs Chiefs

The Sean McVay-era Los Angeles Rams sit nearly every starter and most key backups in the preseason as a matter of principle. That in turn supplies a cheat code, though not an infallible one, for the current outlook of the roster. If a player isn't out there in a preseason game, he probably made the team.

Several notable names were absent Saturday against the Kansas City Chiefs. Tyler Davis was an unsurprising absentee, given his contributions last season as a fourth defensive lineman. With how deep the d-line depth chart is, though, it felt worth wondering whether his status would be less than a lock. We can now shelve those thoughts. He's in.

(For clarity's sake, linebackers Shaun Dolac and Grant Stuard also sat. Hard to imagine their spots were in much jeopardy to begin with. Tight end Davis Allen sat out with an injury, which is another story. Who knows why tackle AJ Arcuri, a likely cut candidate, didn't play.)

Cornerback/slot safety Joshua Wallace was another noteworthy name missing from the field. While Wallace entered the game as a favorite to make the cut, it was intriguing to see him absent entirely while Cam Lampkin, his primary challenger, put in work. Safe to say that, barring an undisclosed injury, Wallace is on the roster.

And the winner of the Rams' most notable preseason absence is…

The third and perhaps most surprising absentee of note was running back Ronnie Rivers. Or maybe that's not so surprising. 

Entering his fifth year in the organization, Rivers has established himself as a dependable RB3 and special-teams contributor. Although barely involved on offense last season, he did return 16 kickoffs for 416 yards. In 2024, Rivers saw nearly 250 snaps on special teams. 

The upside isn't high, but he's proven his floor as a capable contributor. In an all-in season, Rivers could be an easy choice as the third back behind Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. 

That's the argument in his favor, which his absence from the preseason opener supports. At the same time, perhaps it's too early to permanent-ink his place on the 53-man roster.

Jarquez Hunter, who carried nine times for 35 yards against the Chiefs, basically redshirted his rookie year. As a recent fourth-round pick, he may be someone the Rams want to keep around, just in case. He is Rivers' most direct competition for a roster spot.

Undrafted rookie Dean Connors has at least thrust his name onto the league radar, but he'd probably have to repeat his stellar preseason debut in Games 2 and 3 to unseat Rivers. Hunter still likely has an advantage given the Rams' draft investment and his yet untapped potential.

While Rivers might not be a lock to make the team, he still has depth-chart priority. His preseason absence would support that view, and it's unlikely that one game will do much to change that. If the Rams opt to carry four, rather than three running backs, his spot will be virtually guaranteed regardless. 

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