Recent Rams extended veteran is likely to be kicked to the curb ahead of camp

The Los Angeles Rams have a far different take on veteran inside linebacker Troy Reeder than the opinion of the average Rams fan. Reeder has been the go-to guy at inside linebacker for many seasons in this defense, particularly when the team needed a veteran to step up and lead the defense. And yet, when the Rams send Reeder to take his place in the heart of the defense, fans simply do not see enough from him to warrant the confidence and trust that he has from the coaching staff.

While the team did not address the inside linebacker position early enough in the 2025 NFL Draft to suit the preferences of some fans, the team did manage to get a young rookie ILB prospect who has all the packaging and trimmings of an incredible steal. I'm referring to rookie ILB Chris 'Pooh' Paul Jr., a player who was selected by the Rams in Round 5, but who was projected to hear his name called out far sooner.

The thing is, draft profiles are simply educated guesses at when a rookie may hear his name called out in the NFL Draft. But when it comes to Pooh Paul Jr., even the more optimistic draft profiles may have been a bit conservative.

Rams linebacker coach Greg Williams shared a remarkably detailed description of the Rams' depth at the inside linebacker position. While he failed to name either veteran ILB Tony Fields or Elias Neal in his discussion, (which is never a good sign), he did name Nate Landman, Pooh Paul Jr, Omar Speights, Troy Reeder, and rookie Shaun Dolac in his assessment of the inside linebacker room

Is Troy Reeder a cut candidate?

Knowing that veteran ILB Troy Reeder was the starting inside linebacker from 2024, and getting named in LB Coach Greg Williams' assessment of the depth chart at ILB out of minicamp, how can I conclude that Troy Reeder falls anywhere on a roster bubble for the Rams for 2025? Well, the devil is in the details.

The paragraph describing Troy Reeder's contribution to the Rams' inside linebacker room begins by saying: Troy Reeder provides "a comfort level". That can be translated in one of two ways. Either he is that old ratty sweatshirt that someone wears when they have no chance of being seen in public. Or he is akin to bumper pads that are installed at the bowling alley to ensure children learning to bowl for the first time do not roll gutter balls.

In either case, it's not exactly saying anything good about the player. It's simply saying that he offers more value in the locker room, in team meetings, and in mentoring younger players, than he does on the football field. And that assessment seems to align with the optics that Rams fans have seen and complained about for years.

Let's run down the descriptions in Wyatt Miller's solid ILB article and see how each player is portrayed for Rams fans anticipating a solid season from this position group:

• Nate Landman - Landman transitioning "seamlessly" into Rams' defense
• Pooh Paul Jr. - Paul's aggressiveness impresses: "He's a football guy"
• Omar Speights - Omar Speights is "the definition of preparation and professionalism"
• Troy Reeder - Troy Reeder provides "a comfort level"
• Shaun Dolac - Shaun Dolac "could teach you the defense right now"

Based on this article alone, there is a distinct level of positive enthusiasm and unfettered praise for four of the five inside linebackers. But one of these things is not like the others. Describing a guy as someone who provides a comfort level sounds like he provides training wheels on a bicycle. To truly cut loose this year, the training wheels have to come off.

Here is how I see the Rams depth chart for the 2025 NFL season:

• Starting ILB - Nate Landman | Backup ILB - Omar Speights
• Starting ILB - Pooh Paul Jr. | Backup ILB - Shaun Dolac

That leaves Elias Neal, Tony Fields II, and Troy Reeder vying for a shot to return to the practice squad. While both Neal and Fields are young enough to make sense, I suspect that the Rams will do Troy Reeder a courtesy and cut him before all 32 NFL teams pare their rosters to a 53-man roster for the 2025 NFL season.

I am not a hater of veteran ILB Troy Reeder. I'm simply not a believer that he has more in the tank than he has shown repeatedly on the football field for the Rams' defense. The Rams may see things differently, as they have on almost every occasion in the past. But if this defense hopes to get better, clinging to the past does nothing but eliminate the chance of getting better.

The Rams have turned the page on WR Cooper Kupp. The team is preparing to turn the page on TE Tyler Higbee. And the team must be prepared to turn the page on QB Matthew Stafford and RT Rob Havenstein soon.

It's time to turn the page on Troy Reeder. Not because I have no confidence that he can do the job. It's because I have far more confidence that Nate Landman, Pooh Paul Jr., Omar Speights, and Shaun Dolac can do a better job in 2025.

As always, thanks for reading.

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