Will Rams waiver wire vigilance throw a monkey wrench into roster predictions?

Here we are, Game 3 of the 2024 NFL preseason on the doorstep, and then, the day of reckoning. On August 27, 2024, at 1:00 pm PT, all 32 NFL teams must trim their rosters to 53 players. If you want to catch a glimpse of who the Rams have released, you can check out our Rams Roster Cuts Tracker. The thing about releasing players is that the team typically earmarks those players to return via the practice squad.

Of course, plans almost always go awry. What if the team, boastful of a solid and deep roster, simply does not have a warm and fuzzy confidence about the depth at a specific position? Even now, there are plenty of teams seeking talent at positions in which the Rams appear to be quite deep.

The Dallas Cowboys would love to upgrade their offensive line depth. The Washington Commanders would not hesitate to add young receiver talent. You can go down the list of NFL teams, and find some area in their roster that could interest them to any player that may be released by the Rams at the roster cuts deadline.

And as you may recall, the team has lost some very promising young players via the waiver claim process. While that is very likely to happen this season, what happens if the team fights fire with fire this season? What happens if the Rams stake a claim to a released player. Which position might be subject to such a waiver claim? And how might that impact the Rams roster projections?

While the team loves their secondary as a whole, the loss of CB Derion Kendrick continues to hang over the heads of the team's pass coverage. The team trialed a free agent cornerback in Jerry Jacobs, but he too was released with an IR/Injury Settlement designation. Even if the team forgives CB Tre Tomlinson's penalty-ridden efforts, is the team conton to go with foru CBs when the two starters, Tre'Davious White and Darious Williams, have battled injuries? Too much information? Not when you see what I have planned.

Rams could upgrade their secondary via the NFL Waiver Wire

The Rams could jump start the secondary with a strategic waiver claim. While the team has boasted some solid developmental projects who COULD be ready at some point in time in the 2024 NFL season, the team may be interested in claiming a defensive back who could be ready to go here and now. Such as?

Caleb Farley, CB, Tennessee Titans

The LA Rams may not be actively scanning the NFL waiver wire for cornerbacks, but Titans DB Caleb Farley. He is a a former Round 1 pick, the 22nd selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, He appears to have worn out his welcome with the Titans, as his injury history has limited him to 12 games in three seasons. He suffered an injury in 2024 that prevented him from getting must work this season. He stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 197 pounds. While he is a roll of the dice, he does bring the right size and experience to a secondary that needs both.

Storm Duck, CB, Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are the team who traded the LA Rams to acquire DB Jalen Ramsey. Ramsey is still there, but since that time, the Dolphins have had a keen eye for young cornerback talent. One such star is Storm Duck (I know, the name alone is worth claiming him off waivers). Duck is an undrafted rookie defensive back out of Louisville who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 200 pounds. He has been phenomenal in preseason, allowing just one of nine targets to find their mark. The Dolphins would love to keep him, but it's a numbers game.

It he is waived, the Rams need to pounce instantly.

Isaiah Johnson, CB, Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are loaded at their cornerback position. You see, the reason that they may waive Storm Duck is to keep Isaiah Johnson. He is another undrafted free agent out of Syracuse. He stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 205 pounds. If the Dolphins elect to keep Duck, Johnson will likely be waived. He has not allowed a single reception in preseason, despite being targeted five times.

Johnson would be a huge get, literally. The team did not extend CB Ahkello Witherspoon, but Isaiah Johnson could easily slide into that firetower role in the secondary, with the height to causse problems for quarterbacks trying to lob a pass to a receiver. The Rams should have a klaxon sound if the Dolphins release him.

Thomas Graham, CB, Pittsburgh Steelers

While he has been a slot cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers secondary, Thomas Graham Jr. is viable waiver candidate who flashed excellence in his first two NFL seasons, the first with the Chicago Bears and the second with the Cleveland Browns. It was in 2022 that he was the teammate of Rams current safety John Johnson III. He was injured and missed all of the 2023 NFL season. Now, he is vying to reclaim a spot with an NFL team.

Graham has experience, both as an NFL defensive back, as well as that of playing alongside JJIII. That could be the type of edge necessary to attract the Rams interest.