4 Rams who may already be guaranteed cuts before preseason finale vs. Texans

(1) - DB Tre Tomlinson

The LA Rams may not be as deep at the cornerback position as some fans may wish, but the team will be trimming the entire roster to fit within the 53-man limit in less than a week. So there is little need or reason to find and sign another defensive back to take over for recently released DB Jerry Jacobs.

We know that the Rams starting cornerbacks, when healthy, will be Tre'Davious White and Darious Williams. We also know that the team has all the confidence in the world in Cobir Durant. The only question beyond those three veterans is who remains as the backup cornerback(s). Some view Tre Tomlinson as that player, but I don't believe he will be.

This is Tomlinson's second season in the Rams secondary. While he certainly has the potential to grow into a solid NFL cornerback, he needs to shunt his proclivity to be penalized in the worst ways at the worst times. So far, that has not happened. And to make matters worse, his stubbornness at being penalized negates any benefits that his veteran status adds to his resume.

The Rams have been playing other cornerbacks in the preseason as well. Cameron McCutcheon, Cam Lampkin, Josh Wallace, and Shaun Jolly have all been showing up, and all seem to be playing with with more discipline than Tomlinson right now. Per my scorecard, the team could go with either Cameron McCutcheon or Josh Wallace, or both.

The Rams need a strong secondary and the more the merrier. While Tomlinson is ideally suited to fill the backup role with the team. That role necessitates a player who is not constantly flagged, a problem that the team has had to endure with now-injured DB Derion Kendrick. Even Shaun Jolly, a veteran DB who gets little press, has had a solid preseason without creating a flag fest on the football field.

The Rams could always bring Tomlinson back on the practice squad. But I fear some team will notice that he was drafted in 2023, and claim him simply to fill out the bottom end of their roster if released. But fear of loss should not dictate what this team does to improve the roster in 2024. Tre Tomlinson is not 'there' just yet.

As always, thanks for listening.