5 Rams prospects who are fighting not to be cut going into the summer

Tight end Neal Johnson

There is no question about the LA Rams interest in bolstering the depth at tight end this year, and the team failed to name any player during the 2024 NFL Draft. That in itself opened the door for the team to add a solid player after the draft ended, and Louisiana Lafayette former tignt end Neal Johnson is certainly a player who warrants a long and solid look by the team this summer.

Neal Johnson stands 6-foot-4 and weighs a burly 260 pounds. Over five college seasons, Johnson enjoyed a rather productive career in NCAA football as a tight end, hauling in 101 passes for 1,196 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was also active as a return specialist on special teams, returning seven kickoffs for 54 yards.

He saved his best for last, catching 30 passes for 383 yards and five touchdowns in 2023. In the days leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft, he attracted plenty of interest from several NFL teams.

The challenge for him with the Rams is not that he is not worthy of a roster spot. Rather it's a matter of a position that has typically been manned by one player (starting TE Tyler Higbee), with other players getting only a smattering of offensive snaps as well. With seven tight ends on the roster currently, Neal Johnson has a steep climb to make the cut off mark on the depth chart.

That is not to say that this task is impossible to accomplish, and that he should simply surrender with a defeatist reaction. It's simply a fact that the team has several tight ends in the queue right now to take on snaps if Tyler Higbee cannot suit up to start the 2024 NFL season. Neal Johnson must outperform the competition, and he doesn't have a lot of time to do so.