Rams show the door to several fan favorites in latest 53-man roster prediction

Defense (23)

Defensive linemen (6) - Kobie Turner | Poona Ford | Braden Fiske | Ty Hamilton | Desjuan Johnson | Tyler Davis

Who doesn't make the 53-man Rams roster: Bill Norton, Da'Jon Terry, Jack Heflin, Larrell Murchison

The Rams defensive line is fairly straight-forward to assess. The team lost veterans Bobby Brown III and Neville Gallimore, and replaced them with veteran Poona Ford and rookie Ty Hamilton. The odd man out is veteran Larrell Murchison, whose 2024 NFL season was spent on IR. As a result, the team had to make do with available defensive linemen, affording young Desjuan Johnson and Tyler Davis the opportunity to gain valuable experience.

Larrell Murchison may surprise some fans, who enjoyed how easily he seemed to rush the quarterback to announce his arrival to Rams fans. But the numbers stack up against him right now, and he will need a strong training camp and preseason to reclaim a significant role on the defense.

Edge Rushers (4) - Byron Young | Jared Verse | Brennan Jackson | Josaiah Stewart

Who doesn't make the 53-man Rams roster: Keir Thomas, Nick Hampton, Josh Pearcy, Jamil Muhammad

The Rams were content to feature a tight rotation of OLBs Byron Young, Jared Verse, and Michael Hoecht last season to rush the passer. But with the ascension of OLB Brennan Jackson and the arrival of rookie Josaiah Stewart, the team will be compelled to expand the rotation to four players. Unfortunately, even that will require the team to release fan favorites Keir Thomas and Nick Hampton, as well as rookies Josh Pearcy and Jamil Muhammad.

The quality of the Rams' pass rush is peaking, despite the team no longer boasting the indomitable presence of All-Pro DL Aaron Donald. Both Jared Verse and Byron Young are rising NFL stars and will be pushed hard by their backups. While rookie OLBs Josh Pearcy and Jamil Muhammad still have hope of signing on the practice squad, veterans Keir Thomas and Nick Hampton may lose patience with the Rams and seek opportunities elsewhere.

Inside Linebackers (4) - Nate Landman | Pooh Paul Jr. | Omar Speights | Shaun Dolac

Who doesn't make the 53-man Rams roster: Tony Fields II, Elias Neal, Troy Reeder

It almost seems surreal to suggest that the Rams inside linebacker position may be at its strongest since the team started veteran All-Pro ILB Bobby Wagner next to Ernest Jones IV, but the Rams have surprisingly made significant investment into the position. As a result, the team boasts a solid blend of youth and experience, run-stuffer and pass coverage.

The only surprise in this depth chart projection is the expectation that the defense is willing to face the 2025 season without veteran Troy Reeder. While Reeder is not exactly a fan favorite, he has tremendous respect among NFL players and the Rams coaching staff. It's simply a numbers game, and the team would be foolish to risk losing the limitless potential of undrafted rookie ILB Shaun Dolac.

Dolac in, Reeder out.

Cornerbacks (5) - Darious Williams | Ahkello Witherspoon | Emmanuel Forbes | Cobie Durant | Josh Wallace

Who doesn't make the 53-man Rams roster: Charles Wood, Cam Lampkin, Shaun Jolly, AJ Green, Derion Kendrick

The Rams' secondary gets a lot of unwarranted criticism from a sputtering start to the 2024 season. But the worst transgressors to bad pass coverage are gone. The Rams have a rather robust group of non-stars, who are collectively a rather talented bunch. Look for Darious Williams to play significantly better this year, as he will not be nursing a hamstring injury. Cobie Durant has improved every season. And in their first Rams training camp, both Ahkello Witherspoon and Emmanuel Forbes are poised for great seasons.

This all means that multiple fan favorites, including Charles Wood, Cam Lampkin, Shaun Jolly, AJ Green, and even Derion Kendrick, will be on the chopping block. Many of these cornerbacks will be offered the opportunity to sign on the practice squad. But some talented players will need patience to get their shot in the Rams' secondary.

Safeties (4) -Quentin Lake | Kam Curl | Kam Kinchens | Jaylen McCollough

Who doesn't make the 53-man Rams roster: Tanner Ingle, Malik Dixon-Williams, Nate Valcarcel

While I am not convinced that the team has no plans to bring back veteran safety John Johnson III, the team has four obvious starters: Quentin Lake, Kam Curl, Kam Kinchens, and Jaylen McCollough. The biggest question is, who gets the start? The team managed to do a workaround in 2024 by giving Lake snaps as a nickel back in the slot, which allowed the team to get ball-hawking safeties Kam Kinchens or Jaylen McCollough on the football field.

There is a remote chance that if Tanner Ingle, Malik Dixon-Williams, or Nate Valcarcel has a great training camp, the team could carry five safeties on the roster. And the same could be said if the Rams agreed to re-sign veteran John Johnson III. Unless the team does that, this appears to be the most logical depth chart at safety for now.