How can LA Rams take advantage of the latest NFL rule change?

If you had to sit down and name all of the quarterbacks currently on the LA Rams roster, could you do it? If you say yes, and then rattle off the names of the four quarterbacks on the Rams roster, you have my permission to pat yourself on the back. That's not an easy feat, particularly after the Rams parted ways with long time back quarterbacks John Wolford and Bryce Perkins.

Everyone can get the name of the LA Rams veteran starting quarterback, Matthew Stafford. And the majority of LA Rams fans can slide in the name of the team's primary backup quarterback, rookie Stetson Bennett. But beyond that, it starts to get a bit dicey, right? Well, that's where we come in. The Rams signed veteran free-agent quarterback Brett Rypien. Rypien gives the Rams a veteran presence to aid in running drills throughout training camp, pushing rookies along, and ensuring that the Rams have a viable QB3 on the roster.

The other quarterback many may not guess is lightly-scouted University of Tennessee at Martin quarterback Dresser Winn. Here is a curious fact that I learned recently. Because he was recovering from injury at Tennessee's Pro Day, quarterback Hendon Hooker did not throw to wide receivers Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman. Those throws came from Dresser Winn.

Winn stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 215 pounds. While a bit raw, he has the ability to improvise when necessary, and he has a knack for avoiding quarterback pressure. He is a pure pocket passer, and will likely have no better upside than the Rams practice squad for the time being. But he is on the Rams roster for the time being.

NFL modify rules for backup QB

This is all important information to cover based on the fact that the LA Rams are impacted by the latest change to NFL rules regarding the roster and how those rules apply to the game day roster. The change is this: The NFL only allows teams to carry 46 active players on game day, and within 90 minutes of the opening kickoff, those players cannot be changed.

But thanks to a change to the NFL bylaw, NFL teams will now be allowed to carry 46 players plus a third backup quarterback on their gameday rosters during the 2023 NFL season. Of course, that will compel NFL teams to carry three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster to take advantage of this new 'free roster slot,' on game day.

So how will this impact the LA Rams? In all honesty, before this rule change, I would not have been the least bit surprised to see the Rams carry just two quarterbacks on the 53-man active roster, and perhaps stash Dresser Winn on the practice squad. Now? I'm not so sure.

Perhaps even more puzzling is the fact that if the Rams planned to augment the quarterback room by working the NFL Waiver Wire, they may come up empty handed as NFL teams may all opt to carry additional quarterbacks on the roster to take advantage of the new plus-one slot on gameday.

Stay tuned, as there will surely be more roster shuffling as NFL teams jockey for position to take optimal advantage of this bylaw amendment.