Rams get burned by NFL roster dominoes after Eagles trade sparks chaos

The Los Angeles Rams kept rookie RB Jarquez Hunter on the bench for Week 1 and elevated practice squad RB Cody Schrader. While he didn’t get any carries against the Houston Texans, he showed up admirably in the preseason, rushing 27 times for 120 yards. Many fans expected Schrader to earn his way back to the active roster at some point this season.

Unfortunately, those hopes have been dashed by the Jacksonville Jaguars and former Rams personnel executive James Gladstone. Now the GM in Jacksonville, Gladstone is a former understudy of GM Les Snead and was intimately familiar with the Rams’ roster and the upside of younger players. Schrader was one such player, and he had no protection against Jacksonville’s decision to address their roster needs.

Schrader was a back who lost his spot on the 53-man roster through fierce competition that began in OTAs and stretched through preseason. Ultimately, the Rams opted to go with three running backs, landing him on the practice squad. But he was more than a developmental project. He was an insurance policy. A spare tire of sorts, to be used in case of emergency. With his signing to the Jaguars’ active roster, the team is now down to three backs.

Blame the Philadelphia Eagles for the Rams losing Schrader

You may be wondering why the Jaguars are poaching the practice squad this early in the season. That interest traces back to Jacksonville’s decision to trade Tank Bigsby to the Philadelphia Eagles for a pair of 2026 draft picks. That move created a roster opening.

And the Jags wasted no time in filling the void.

The vacant practice squad spot now opens the door to several possibilities. The Rams could bring back either RB Ronnie Rivers or RB Jordan Waters. Waters offered an exciting power-back option for an offense that hasn’t strayed far from its tiny, mighty-mo running back template. For that reason, Rivers may be the more likely signing.

But after injuries to IOL Steve Avila and Kevin Dotson, the team may instead prioritize the trenches. IOL Ben Dooley or OT Trey Wedig could be next in line for a call-up. In any case, it’s something worth keeping on your radar.

As always, thanks for reading.

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