GM Les Snead just made the signing Rams fans were begging for

We know that the Los Angeles Rams had just vacated three roster spots, all filled by starters. So the next logical question is, who fills those roster spots? And right on queue, we have the answers. After all, moving six players as NFL teams prepare for Week 12 is not common in the NFL. So, let's dive into who is moving out and who is moving in.

After a physical Week 11 encounter with the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles was compelled to send three starters to injured reserve. They are right tackle Rob Havenstein, tight end Tyler Higbee, and defensive back Quentin Lake. But as the team announced the roster moves, they had already made the corresponding moves to fill some roster vacancies.

The team has signed kicker Harrison Mevis to the active roster. That resolves a sticky situation, as the team had their virtual starting kicker parked on the practice squad. But that only fills one roster slot.

The team had also successfully claimed a defensive back, Chris Smith II, off waivers from the Las Vegas Raiders. And finally, to fill the now vacant practice squad roster slot, the team signed defensive back Alex Johnson.

What should fans make of the latest Rams roster additions?

So, are you curious how these additions help out the team going forward? Well, let's do a quick dive into each new addition and share what it all means.

1. Kicker Harrison Mevis

The first move was the most necessary. The team had parked UFL kicker Harrison Mevis on the practice squad, where he remained vulnerable to another NFL team signing him away. But the front office finally got around to adding Mevis to the active roster. He has yet to attempt a field goal, but he has been perfect at extra points so far.

His addition makes the likelihood of kicker Joshua Karty winning back the kicking job

2. Defensive back Chris Smith II

The Rams are losing defensive backs, so an infusion of reinforcements makes sense as the team prepares for Week 12. The Las Vegas Raiders waived Chris Smith II after three seasons of performing a rotational role. Smith was reported as being claimed by Los Angeles, but shows up on the team's practice squad. While a safety, he is a special teams specialist, an area the roster needs to reinforce immediately.

3. Defensive back Alex Johnson

The Rams are doubling up on defensive backs at a curious time of the season. They add former UCLA cornerback Alex Johnson to the practice squad. Johnson is a 6-foot-0, 185-pound cornerback who has tried to earn a roster spot with the New York Giants, Indianapolis Colts, and Tennessee Titans without success. But he has a new chance to make the Rams roster, and the opportunity is real.

4. Why are these signing so curious?

LA has wide receiver Tutu Atwell on injured reserve, Xavier Smith in the NFL concussion protocol, and tight end Tyler Higbee on injured reserve. That is 30 percent of the team's receivers currently offline. What makes that relevant is the fact that the team failed to address the offense in the latest wave of roster additions.

If Atwell is healthy now, he could return to the active roster as early as November 24, 2025. But that will limit the receiver options in Week 12. For cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, his projected 12-week recovery period will not lapse until the week of December 5, 2025.

Even with the current flurry of roster activity, general manager Les Snead may not be done. The team still has vacant roster holes. Are they merely set aside to welcome back Atwell and Witherspoon? Or will more signings be reported later this week? Time will tell.

As always, thanks for reading.