Let's hope Rams' latest spate of roster moves is a sign of things to come

Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead is at it again. That's right, like the family doctor of yesteryear who made house calls with a black leather bag, Snead is diagnosing what ails the Rams roster and already injecting booster shots to get the team back on track.

For their part, fans are eager to know if this is simply a placebo to assuage their concerns, or legitimate medicine. Well, let's analyze the five roster moves the team announced yesterday.

They won't move the needle much now, but perhaps more tweaks are coming, particularly on special teams.

What fans should make of Rams' latest roster moves

1-2) Waived K Harrison Mevis, signed K Blake Grupe

This is not news. After going 0-2 on field goals on Monday Night Football, Mevis was unceremoniously released. The Rams then signed kicker Blake Grupe from the New York Jets' practice squad. That's likely not the end of Snead's roster tweaks.

It may be just the beginning.

After all, Mevis was just one trouble spot in a complex, multi-faceted problem. He was not returning punts or kickoffs. He wasn't involved in the coverage unit. Since LA has struggled in those areas as well, it's safe to anticipate that more changes are on the way.

3) Signed to practice squad - OLB Garrett Nelson

Nelson is a rather curious addition, as he has not played a single NFL snap. But he is versatile enough to play both inside and outside linebacker. And he is swift enough, strong enough, and fearless enough to be shaped into a special teams contributor.

He's not an immediate answer. But he may be a sign of Snead investing in players for specific special teams roles.

4) Practice squad exception - CB Damarion Williams

Los Angeles may view Williams as a slot corner, a catch-all defensive back, or simply a special teamer. In normal circumstances, Williams would be viewed as defensive depth. But in the flurry to fix special teams, it feels as though he may be earmarked to join coordinator Bubba Ventrone's crew.

He certainly did so for the Baltimore Ravens, the team that drafted him in Round 4 of the 2022 draft. But since 2023, he has tried and failed to stick on an NFL roster. Will he finally find a home in Los Angeles?

4) Terminated from practice squad - OLB Jamie Sheriff

Snead added Sheriff, the former Seattle Seahawks edge rusher, in early September. At the time, Sheriff was viewed as roster depth for a pass rush that had lost Myles Garrett to injury. But evidently Sheriff did not meet expectations, as he finds himself back in the free-agent market.

Sheriff never saw action for the Horns. And that's mildly surprising, as the team could have considered him as a gameday elevation to help out a struggling special-teams unit. His release opened a practice-squad slot for Nelson.

This flurry of roster moves may not impress fans much. Snead is just doing what he can to fix the Rams' roster. Hopefully there are more than marginal adjustments up his sleeve.

As always, thanks for reading.

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