Former Rams draft pick found immediate redemption after roster cut

On Tuesday, the NFL required teams to cut their rosters down to just 53 players in preparation for the regular season. That means every team had to make some hard decisions and let go of players they invested a lot in. The Los Angeles Rams were no different. While the Rams are entering the 2025 season with a talented roster, the team still had to let go of players the franchise drafted and had high hopes for.

One of those players was Brennan Jackson. Los Angeles selected him in the fifth round of the 2024 Draft, and he made the active roster as a rookie. Jackson returned to the team for year two and put together a strong training camp and preseason, but he was still the odd man out on a talented defensive front.

Fortunately for him, another team recognized his talent and he was claimed on waivers. The second-year edge defender will now continue his career with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Raiders claim former Rams linebacker Brennan Jackson

While Jackson did make Los Angeles’ 53-man roster as a rookie, he didn’t see a ton of playing time. He appeared in just seven games, playing 47 snaps on defense and 56 on special teams. In all those snaps, he recorded three total tackles and one pass deflection.

Jackson did show growth in the early stages of his second season, though. He was second amongst all defenders in the preseason with three sacks, and appeared to be on the right trajectory for a young player. However, he lost a training camp against Nick Hampton for the No. 2 outside linebacker spot behind Jared Verse, and that’s why Jackson was cut.

Now, Jackson gets his second chance with a Las Vegas Raiders team hoping to get things turned around.

More Los Angeles Rams news and analysis