The Los Angeles Rams were busy on the second and third days of the draft, making nine total picks between Rounds 2 and 7. Their work didn’t end there, though. After the final pick of the seventh round, the Rams got busy signing players who didn’t get selected.
They took a different approach this year in order to expand their reach on the undrafted free agent market, allowing position coaches and scouts to help sign players with the front office giving each group an allotment of money to spend.
The results were strong on paper with the Rams signing several players who could wind up making the 53-man roster, or at the very least, the practice squad. According to Thor Nystrom of Rotoworld, the Rams’ undrafted free agent class ranked eighth in the NFL.
The Rams lacked for early capital in the draft itself — they did not select a player until Cam Akers at 2.52 — but temporarily freed from the handicaps of their own making in the UDFA Dollar Store, GM Les Snead and HC Sean McVay went on a shopping spree. The Rams brought in five prospects in my top-350, with Weber State EDGE Jonah Williams headlining the group at No. 309.
Beyond Williams, after mystifyingly ignoring a problematic offensive line situation in the draft outside of seventh-round interior flier Tremayne Anchrum, the Rams brought in further competition via ASU’s Cohl Cabral, a smart and lengthy pivot, as well as Syracuse WR Trishton Jackson, who will cook you in a straight line if you’re not careful. The Rams only have John Wolford behind Jared Goff, making the signings of QBs Josh Love and Bryce Perkins, two of the class’ best undrafted signal-callers, intriguing. Good chance one of them makes the opening roster.
The Rams have signed 22 undrafted free agents up to this point, led by recognizable names such as Jonah Williams, Bryce Perkins, Levonta Taylor and Josh Love. Cohl Cabral also has a chance to make the team on the offensive line, while Easop Winston and Trishton Jackson offer intriguing skill sets to a receiver room that’s currently lacking some depth beyond the top four players.
Love and Perkins are two players everyone should watch especially close, though. As Nystrom points out, John Wolford is the only other quarterback behind Jared Goff at the moment. Perkins isn’t a pure pocket passer, but a true dual-threat with excellent running ability. Love has a big enough arm and put up solid numbers at San Jose State, and was someone many people thought would be drafted.
Unless the Rams sign a veteran free agent such as Cam Newton, their backup quarterback won’t have much experience – whether that’s Wolford, or one of the undrafted rookies.
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