Former Michigan State football OT thrust into lineup in prime time due to injuries to Los Angeles Rams

AJ Arcuri is going up against his old nemesis Aidan Hutchinson in prime time

It was a nice surprise when the Los Angeles Rams selected Michigan State football offensive tackle AJ Arcuri in the sixth round back in 2022. Arcuri has stuck around the Rams as a reserve lineman for the last few years, and because of injuries, Arcuri was thrust into the starting lineup against the Detroit Lions in prime time in week one of the NFL season.

Arcuri didn’t just get a chance to play, he was asked to go up against an old nemesis: Aidan Hutchinson. Hutchinson was at Michigan when Arcuri was at MSU, and the two played on the same side of the line during their college careers.

While it was a cool moment for MSU fans to see Arcuri get in the game, at least at the time of this post I can’t say that he has been winning that exchange with Hutchinson. To be fair, Arcuri is usually the third string tackle, and Hutchinson is one of the best defensive ends in the league.

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With Alaric Jackson suspended, Rams OL depth will be tested again

Alaric Jackson has been suspended two games, which will test the Rams’ OL depth

The Rams will start their 2024 campaign without starting left tackle Alaric Jackson, as the fourth-year man has been suspended for the first two games of the regular season.

In a year where the Rams’ offensive line was poised for a breakout season, losing a vital piece of the line has the potential to loom large against both the Lions and the Cardinals to open up the season. With the current Rams depth chart, it’s fair to assume Joe Noteboom will be the man at left tackle to start the season.

The performance of the backup offensive line has been impressive thus far in the preseason and, with a veteran like Joe Noteboom, the Rams should be able to stay afloat while Jackson serves his suspension. Noteboom notably stepped in for Andrew Whitworth during the latter part of the 2021 Super Bowl-winning season, playing well in his three starts on the year. Noteboom did, however, take a step back following a contract extension, eventually dealing with injuries that led to Jackson getting his shot at the left tackle spot.

Noteboom bounced back in 2023, getting eight starts on the line and proceeded to play well in those starts he was granted. Noteboom has proven he is capable of being a solid spot starter for the team but if the Rams staff feels there are better options on the squad, Warren McClendon or A.J. Arcuri could be options, as well.

The Rams season opener in Detroit is just over two weeks away, and any more hits to an offensive line that has dealt with injuries throughout training camp could truly test just how deep the 2024 Rams group really is.

Grading every rookie from Rams’ 2022 draft class

We handed out grades for each rookie from the Rams’ 2022 draft class.

With the Los Angeles Rams taking an aggressive approach to acquire star players in exchange for early-round picks, the draft becomes even more important when it comes to finding depth and potential starters. The Rams made eight selections in the 2022 NFL draft at a variety of positions and they didn’t make their first pick until No. 104 overall.

After going 5-12 in the regular season in 2022, ESPN ranked the Rams’ draft class from a year ago as the second-least productive group of rookies in the NFL. The 2022 class for Los Angeles was comprised of Logan Bruss, Cobie Durant, Kyren Williams, Quentin Lake, Derion Kendrick, Daniel Hardy, Russ Yeast, and AJ Arcuri.

After getting a chance to watch the first-year players this season, here are our grades for each rookie in the Rams’ 2022 draft class.

Former Michigan State football players sign to NFL practice squads

Several former Spartans have signed with NFL teams to play on the practice squad

NFL cut day has come and gone, and NFL teams have cut their rosters from 80 to 53, meaning many players were let go by there respective teams. The next step for these players is to hopefully catch on and get signed to a team’s practice squad.

Several former Spartans were a part of the NFL caualties, but some were lucky enough to catch on and sign with NFLpractice squads.

Check out what NFL teams signed former Spartans to their practice squad:

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Projecting the Chargers’ initial 16-man practice squad

Here’s our best guess at which 16 players will be back as members of the Chargers practice squad heading into the regular season.

With the 53-man roster set, the Chargers’ next task will be to build their practice squad. The squad has steadily increased in size in recent years, with up to 16 players allowed on the 2022 version. Up to four of those players can have less than two seasons of NFL experience, and up to six of them can be NFL veterans of any experience level. The rest must be players who have less than nine games of active roster experience in their career.

Let’s take a stab at a possible group Los Angeles could bring in for their squad:

RB Leddie Brown

While Brown didn’t receive many reps in the preseason, I do believe he made a bigger impression on the coaching staff than Kevin Marks Jr. did. Brown ran for 1,000 yards multiple times during his career at West Virginia, but his issue has always been speed. He’s a potential developmental option behind the four running backs on the 53 thanks to his pass-catching ability.

RB Tyler Goodson

Goodson was left off Green Bay’s initial 53-man roster, and while it’s likely that the Packers keep him on their practice squad, running backs coach Derrick Foster is familiar with the rookie. Foster was the running backs coach at Iowa from 2018-20. In the last year of that tenure, Goodson was named first-team All-Big Ten at running back, Iowa’s first such honoree since 2008. If he slips through waivers and isn’t immediately signed to Green Bay’s practice squad, Foster could campaign for him to make the move to Los Angeles.

WR Michael Bandy

Bandy’s preseason performance was phenomenal, but his size would always limit him to the slot, where the Chargers have a lot of flexibility with the receivers on the 53. If the 2020 UDFA gets through waivers, he should be the first player LA calls when building the practice squad. Bandy is an NFL route runner, full stop. The only reason he’s not on a roster is his lack of inside/outside versatility.

WR Trevon Bradford

Bradford seems the likeliest of the next tier of wide receivers to stay on the squad, as he had plenty of moments in practice. He also had a nice stop-and-start move in the second preseason game against the Cowboys. The rookie undrafted free agent has some traits to work with and I think he’s worth being kept him around.

WR Joe Reed

There’s still something to unlock with Reed, who flashed the ability to play on the outside this preseason before getting injured and missing the last preseason game. Before the preseason, it seemed like Reed was purely a slot and kick return guy. But perhaps his flashes will encourage the Chargers to keep him around for a healthy season in 2022 to see if he can push for a roster spot next offseason.

TE Hunter Kampmoyer

While Kampmoyer may not have done enough to make the 53, I’m sure LA will try to keep him around for his special teams value. Kampmoyer worked with the first team kickoff unit throughout training camp, a role that will now mostly be taken by Tre’ McKitty. The former undrafted free agent is a likely candidate to use up his three call-ups to provide some extra help on special teams, especially if the team gets off to a slow start.

TE Jace Sternberger

Another former Packer, Sternberger was cut by the Steelers on Monday as they trimmed their roster down to 53 as well. Tight ends coach Kevin Koger worked as an offensive quality control coach in Green Bay for Sternberger’s first two seasons, presenting another potential opportunity for LA’s position coaches to petition for a player they’re familiar with. Sternberger is another special teams value addition who could also fill the fourth tight end spot on the active roster if the Chargers feel they need one.

OT Foster Sarell

As of right now, it seems like Sarell will be brought back to the practice squad instead of Zack Bailey, who seems like a waiver claim candidate elsewhere around the league. Sarell split the second team left tackle duties with Bailey this preseason, and I thought Sarell was the better player. Bailey does have side versatility as someone that can play the left and right sides, whereas Sarell is locked in on the left side. But he’s worth putting more developmental time into as a potential backup.

G Ryan Hunter

Whether Hunter comes back or not at this point seems like a coin flip. In my opinion, the 27-year-old played well enough to earn a roster spot somewhere but ultimately lost his spot to Brenden Jaimes. If he’s amiable to returning, he’d be an excellent depth piece from the practice squad with call-up potential if either Jaimes, Will Clapp, or Jamaree Salyer go down with injuries.

DL Andrew Brown

Brown made a few plays for the Chargers this preseason, but he was always on the outside looking in with a locked and loaded top 5 and a tight competition between Breiden Fehoko and Christian Covington for IDL6. He could be a waiver claim candidate or move on to greener pastures if given the opportunity, but if he decides to return, he’d be a valuable addition a la Fehoko last season.

EDGE Jamal Davis II

I thought Davis did nearly enough to make the initial roster, but his lack of refinement as a pass rusher is likely what kept him off the 53. He’s a great run defender on the edge, and the Chargers did invest in him a little bit by signing him out of the CFL. I think he’ll be back to work on his pass rush arsenal and push for a roster spot in 2023.

EDGE Carlo Kemp

It’s hard to nail down what combination of Davis, Kemp, and Emeke Egbule will end up on the practice squad, but ultimately I think LA will keep Kemp as well. Although he wasn’t a standout in practice, Kemp flashed some real tools during the preseason. A former undrafted free agent who spent the spring in the USFL, Kemp’s football journey has already been arduous. Keeping him around and giving him some stability could unlock something.

CB Isaiah Dunn

The Jets acquired Sauce Gardner and DJ Reed this offseason, which ultimately pushed Dunn off the roster this week. The UDFA out of Oregon State got the largest contract for an undrafted cornerback in 2021 and played in 12 games as a rookie. Like Goodson, Dunn’s preseason team will almost certainly want him back. But if Dunn wants a change of scenery, moving from New York to Los Angeles could be the answer. 

CB Kemon Hall

Hall has steadily improved this offseason and closed out the preseason with a few strong performances, but the depth of the Chargers roster dictated his release on Tuesday. He’d be another valuable special teams addition to the practice squad after spending 2021 on the active roster. As a corner that knows the scheme, keeping him around at least early on while JC Jackson recovers from ankle surgery as emergency depth seems like a good idea.

S Raheem Layne

Layne should be an easy practice squad addition if he’s willing to return. He had an excellent training camp, and while the preseason games weren’t at that same level, he still looked like a competent depth piece. The rookie UDFA was one of the most pleasant surprises of the offseason, but he may feel as though his effort has gone underappreciated by the Chargers. If they can convince him to return, I’d expect him to have a role when he does get called up for his three games this season.

S Mark Webb Jr.

Probably the most surprising cut of the offseason for the Chargers, Webb missed this roster primarily because of his inability to stay on the field. A knee injury ended his season prematurely last year, with a calf issue holding him out of action this preseason. Webb is still injured, and leaving him off the 53 feels like the Chargers trying to sneak him through to the practice squad to rehab in-house without spending a roster spot. It’s no secret that LA is high on Webb’s potential. If he can stay healthy, I expect him to be one of the first permanent call-ups if other players get injured.

Other Names to Consider

RB Darrynton Evans

RB Kevin Harris

RB Justin Jackson

OT AJ Arcuri

OT Tyler Vrabel

G Michael Schofield

DT Tyler Shelvin

EDGE Emeke Egbule

LB Cole Christiansen

S Will Parks

Rams’ 4 most surprising roster cuts

The Rams made their final roster cuts to reduce their roster to 53 players and a few of them were a bit surprising.

Teams around the NFL made hundreds of moves to trim their rosters to 53 players ahead of Week 1 of the 2022 campaign. Every single year, there are always a decent number of surprising releases that take place, and the Los Angeles Rams had a few of their own.

Of course, there’s a chance that the players listed below re-sign with the Rams via the team’s practice squad. Players that are released must clear waivers for them to sign on the practice squad, so other teams have a chance to claim them before they become free agents.

Following the flurry of roster moves that occurred across the NFL, let’s take a look at the most surprising roster cuts the Rams made to reduce their active roster to 53 players.

10 players on the Rams’ roster bubble entering training camp

The Rams will need to trim their roster down to 53 players before Week 1 of the 2022 season, putting these 10 players on the roster bubble.

It’s almost the time of the year when training camps commence around the NFL, with plenty of players trying to compete for roster spots on their respective teams. Players will be arriving at training camp for the Los Angeles Rams on July 23 as all eyes will be on certain position battles ahead of the upcoming season.

Unfortunately, not every player on the current roster is going to make the active roster for the Rams this year. Before the 2022 season kicks off, Los Angeles will have to trim their roster to 53 players, meaning that there will be quite a few difficult decisions to make.

Some players are going to have a tougher time than others to earn a roster spot and they’ll need strong showings during training camp to prove their worth. With playing in the NFL being a brutal line of work, here are 10 players that are on the roster bubble for the Rams entering training camp.

Rams sign all 8 rookies from their 2022 draft class

The Rams have signed all 8 of their rookies from the 2022 draft class to contracts ahead of mandatory minicamp.

It’s been a busy Monday for Tony Pastoors and the other people that handle the financial side of things for the Los Angeles Rams. Besides agreeing on a reworked deal with Aaron Donald, the Rams have officially signed all eight rookies from the 2022 draft class.

The eight incoming rookies for the Rams are Logan Bruss, Decobie Durant, Kyren Williams, Quentin Lake, Derion Kendrick, Daniel Hardy, Russ Yeast, and AJ Arcuri. With mandatory minicamp beginning this week, it’s a positive development for Los Angeles to have all of their rookies signed.

There weren’t any indications that the Rams would be unable to agree to deals with all of their rookies, so Monday’s news shouldn’t come as a surprise. Contract talks with rookies are likely easier for Los Angeles due to them not having any first or second-round picks, making it simpler to navigate salaries and bonuses.

Along with No. 99, the Rams will have all eight of their first-year players from the 2022 NFL draft present for minicamp this week.

Jersey numbers for every Michigan State football player who was selected in the 2022 NFL draft

Jersey numbers for every Michigan State football player who was selected in the 2022 NFL draft

Four Michigan State football players were selected in the 2022 NFL draft, and while it will be weird to see them in new jerseys, they will also be donning new jersey numbers.

Below, we rounded up the new numbers for all four Spartans who were drafted to the NFL.

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Jersey numbers of Rams’ 2022 rookies revealed

The jersey numbers of each of the rookies on the Rams have been revealed via the team’s official Twitter account.

It’s been a few weeks since the Los Angeles Rams made eight selections during the 2022 NFL draft. Rookie minicamps recently took place across the NFL, and after the Rams got an opportunity to see their new rookies in action, we now know what numbers they’ll be wearing in 2022.

Logan Bruss will be wearing No. 60 next season, keeping the same number he wore at Wisconsin. Decobie Durant will also be sporting the same number he wore in college at South Carolina State, electing to stay with No. 14.

Kyren Williams is going to be rocking No. 23 with the Rams next season, which is the same number he wore at Notre Dame and the number that Cam Akers wore in his first two years. Akers has since changed his number to No. 3 — to the dismay of Odell Beckham Jr. — which was something he had planned last season until he discovered he’d have to pay a hefty price to alter it.

Among the other defensive backs the Rams took in this year’s draft, Quentin Lake was also able to keep his number from college, choosing to wear No. 37. Derion Kendrick has chosen to make the switch from No. 11 at Georgia to No. 6 in the NFL, potentially picking the number of the round he was chosen in. It could also simply be the fact that single-digit numbers are elite for defensive backs.

For the final three picks that the Rams made, Russ Yeast will be going from sporting No. 2 to No. 43 in Los Angeles. Daniel Hardy will keep his No. 44 from Montana State while AJ Arcuri will be wearing No. 61 in the NFL instead of keeping No. 76 from his time at Michigan State.

While it’s going to be nearly impossible to find any authentic jerseys for any of the rookies on the Rams, fans can now create custom jerseys with their names and numbers if they desire.