Tag: rams roster

Why the Rams must get Demarcus Robinson more involved

Demarcus Robinson only had one catch against the Dolphins but getting him more involved could be a key to unlocking the offense

Often, it is the WR3 that wins football games in the NFL. Defenses around the league, especially in crunch time, tighten up on the primary targets for an offense, scheming up calls that eliminate them from the play.

Whether that be a double-team, another form of safety help or simply having a true lockdown corner placed on them, WR1s and WR2s can sometimes have difficulty creating separation due to defensive designs.

In the NFL, it’s not the play call that wins the game, it is the players. Defensive coordinators are too smart to outwit consistently so QBs have to find an advantageous matchup to exploit. With resources dedicated to eliminating primary targets and rushing the passer, the WR3 will find himself with a one-on-one matchup where the game comes down to will and desire over skill and scheme.

Demarcus Robinson knows this all too well as before the Monday night game against Miami, he had two straight games with two touchdowns, scoring the game-winners in both.

Robinson, a nine-year veteran, has been in this role since his early days in Kansas City. As a member of the Legion of Zoom, Robinson played a WR3 role, helping the Chiefs win Super Bowl LIV.

So it is mindboggling to see a player who has gotten it done throughout his career, especially in the last several weeks, only see five targets on Monday – many of which were uncatchable.

Robinson was a key piece in the Rams’ late-season playoff push in 2023, putting up 14 catches for 218 yards and two touchdowns in the last three games he played during the regular season (held out in the season finale as the Rams had already clinched a playoff birth). He also caught 73.6% of passes thrown his way.

All three of those games ended in victory. In fact, when Robinson has at least four catches, the Rams are 4-1 in those games with the lone loss coming in the 2024 season-opener against Detroit.

Getting Robinson involved forces defenses to adjust, shining more attention on him. Thus, less attention gets put on the rest of the Rams’ playmakers, leading to more opportunities for established stars like Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp.

The numbers say it, the film says it and the fact Robinson has played in the postseason every year of his career says it. Get him the ball. Considering he was drafted in 2016, if the Rams want to make the playoffs, perhaps rely on the guy that’s been there eight straight times.

Rams expect to have Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson vs. Dolphins on Monday

Sean McVay shared the latest updates on Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson, who are expected to be activated off IR

Rookie sensation Steve Avila’s sophomore campaign got off to an awful start after suffering a knee injury in the season opener against Detroit. Having been placed on injured reserve, Avila has spent the majority of this season in rehab.

The same goes for Jonah Jackson, who injured his shoulder in Week 2 and has been on injured reserve ever since.

The Rams opened Avila and Jackson’s 21-day practice window this week as both players returned to the field, and “there’s a good chance” they’ll be in the starting lineup on Monday night, Sean McVay said Saturday.

With Avila and Jackson’s return, it poses a strategic good problem for Sean McVay and his staff for the rest of the season. Avila’s injury, alongside the injury suffered by Jackson, paved the way for Beaux Limmer to become the Rams’ starting center.

Limmer has been another rookie sensation but at the risk of hurting Avila’s development and/or Jackson’s play time, are the Rams going to bench their current, consistent starting center?

Another point of intrigue is where the two starters fit into the lineup. Kevin Dotson has his guard position locked down so it looks likely that Avila and Jackson would take the other guard and center spot over Limmer.

If that is the case, who plays center? Avila was reported to have been taking the first-team center snaps throughout training camp but at the last minute, Jackson was named the starting center. If the Rams had trust in either man, wouldn’t they have practiced with the intended Week 1 starter throughout camp? If Avila was intended to be the starter, isn’t that an indication that he couldn’t do the job?

It remains to be seen where each player will line up.

“You’ll see on Monday,” McVay said when asked where Avila and Jackson will play. “Honestly, we’re working through it. There are a lot of different moving parts, especially as it relates to the offensive line but it is good to be able to have those guys back in the mix.”

It will be interesting to see how this folds out but unless something happens within the next 24 hours, Avila and Jackson should be on the field for the Rams.

Why the Rams were smart not to be buyers at the trade deadline

The Rams were quiet at the trade deadline outside of sending Tre’Davious White. Deciding not to be buyers was the right move, and here’s why

The 2024 NFL trade deadline came and went with relative obscurity. Several teams across the league made moves, most supplementing their wide receiver or outside linebacker rooms.

The Rams had no need to add to either position group at this point in the season. Byron Young and Jared Verse have the outside linebacker positions on lock and with Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp returning from injury, there’s no room for another pass catcher.

The only superstar moved on Tuesday was Marshon Lattimore, who went from New Orleans to Washington. While Lattimore would’ve been a nice addition to the Rams, his cap hit wouldn’t make sense for the team. Lattimore has an $18 million cap hit in 2025 and an $18.5 million hit in 2026.

The only linebackers moved were Jerome Baker for former Rams linebacker Ernest Jones and since the Rams didn’t have a tradeable linebacker that could match the value of Baker, along with the emergence of Omar Speights, there was no market for the only pressing need of the team.

The trade market in 2024 was limited and the players available were of little value to the team. The Rams have a plethora of players on rookie contracts and a trade at this point in the season would impact the team’s ability to sign quality free agents.

With Alaric Jackson, Bobby Brown III and Demarcus Robinson set to be free agents at the end of the season, cap space is everything and that’s why the Rams were smart not to buy at the deadline.

Rams sign former 5th-round linebacker to practice squad

The Rams are adding some linebacker depth by signing Tony Fields II to the practice squad

With Troy Reeder on injured reserve, the Los Angeles Rams have gotten a little bit thin at linebacker. They made a move on Monday to add some depth, signing an inside linebacker to the practice squad.

The team announced it has added Tony Fields II to the practice squad, filling an open spot that was available. Fields is a former fifth-round pick, getting drafted by the Browns at No. 153 overall in 2021.

The 6-foot, 222-pound linebacker has played 45 games in his career and made 10 starts, all in 2022 and 2023. He’s only appeared in one game this season, making two tackles.

At the NFL combine three years ago, he ran a 4.64 40-yard dash, had a 114-inch broad jump and a 34-inch vertical.

The Rams have Christian Rozeboom and Omar Speights starting right now, with Jake Hummel also getting snaps last week, so Fields will need to work his way up the depth chart.

Tutu Atwell looks like odd man out in Rams’ WR rotation

Tutu Atwell went from leading the team in receiving to playing just nine snaps against the Vikings on Thursday night

Despite being one of the players who stepped up while Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua were injured, Tutu Atwell was rewarded with nine total snaps on Thursday night.

Even with Jordan Whittington injured, Atwell was leaped over by Tyler Johnson on the depth chart. While he remains the Rams’ current leader in both receptions and receiving yards, the numbers show that the team does not value Atwell within the WR rotation and his future in LA looks like it is coming to a close.

It’s not clear why Atwell has been made a pariah, but they should explore a trade for his sake and the Rams’. Atwell is a player who was finally coming into his own, operating as the team’s WR1 in multiple contests, and while Demarcus Robinson – who scored two touchdowns against Minnesota – may be the favored receiver to fill the WR3 role, it was Atwell who got the job done when called upon.

If Atwell can be effective as the WR1, he can be dangerous as a WR3. However, the Rams are obviously not interested in his services unless someone is injured. So for Atwell, who is in a contract year, a new home may spell greener pastures for a player with his talents.

And for those who say this is an exaggeration, he had nine total snaps on Thursday. Atwell wasn’t listed on the injury report leading into Thursday night so his limited playing time was a coaching decision.

Alaric Jackson could be playing his way into an extension with the Rams

With Alaric Jackson playing well at left tackle, the Rams must consider extending him before he reaches free agency

Since returning from his suspension, left tackle Alaric Jackson has been a pillar of the Rams offense. Not only has Jackson been playing at an All-Pro level, he has proven himself to be a long-term answer at a position that has plagued the team since Andrew Whitworth’s retirement.

Jackson was phenomenal against Minnesota, displaying an elite ability to stop pass rushers in their tracks while being a nightmare for defenders in the screen game. Puka Nacua reopened his account on Thursday, running behind Jackson who continually led the way for Rams’ ballcarriers. That play set up his incredible night.

Jackson has only allowed two sacks on the season, minimal pressure on Matthew Stafford, and the entire offensive line looks much improved when he anchors the blind side.

Jackson, a 2021 undrafted free agent from Iowa, is set to hit free agency in the offseason after signing a one-year restricted free agency tender. The Rams can not let this happen. They need to extend him now before his already-rising price tag hits astronomical numbers.

The reality of the situation is this. Kelvin Banks and Will Campbell, the two best draft-eligible tackles in college football, are expected to be taken within the top six picks of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Rams do not have another answer for the position and Jackson has proven he can get the job done.

Extending him also allows the Rams to find a developmental tackle that wouldn’t need to play right away. Jackson is the answer for today and tomorrow and it’d be a good decision to extend him

Rams should trade for Titans DT Sebastian Joseph-Day

The NFL trade market is heating up and the Rams should look to bring a former player home.

The Rams made a bold statement with their 30-20 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night. Not only are they back in the playoff hunt, but they also knocked off a team considered to be a Super Bowl contender.

At this point in the season, injuries start to pile up and deals tend to get made. The Tennessee Titans may be undergoing a fire sale of veteran players, capped off by their trade of Deandre Hopkins to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Rams should make a move for their former DT Sebastian Joseph-Day as he would most likely cost nothing more than a sixth-round pick. He would add depth to the defensive line and he’s very familiar with the Rams’ defensive scheme.

It would also allow rookie Braden Fiske to focus his efforts on nickel packages, turning him into a much more effective pass rusher instead of continually getting hit when he lines up as a DE in Chris Shula’s 3-4 formation.

Joseph-Day is cheap, smart, and possibly available. For a sixth-round pick, he would be a steal—the type of steal that turns contenders into champions.

Rams sign CB Ahkello Witherspoon to active roster, make 2 other moves

The Rams made a series of roster moves on Tuesday, highlighted by signing CB Ahkello Witherspoon to the active roster.

Tuesday was a busy day for the Rams’ front office. Cooper Kupp dominated the headlines with reports that he could be traded but behind the scenes, the team made several roster moves, including signing CB Ahkello Witherspoon to the active roster.

https://twitter.com/ramsnfl/status/1848884543694246138

Witherspoon rejoined the Rams in September after starting all 17 games for the organization last season. Witherspoon played the last three games on the Rams’ practice squad before signing to the active roster.

To make room earlier this week, Elias Neal was waived on Monday. Neal cleared waivers and was signed to the Rams’ practice squad.

The team also placed OLB Zach VanValkenburg on the practice squad injury list.

With Joe Noteboom, Puka Nacua and possibly others set to return within the next three weeks, the Rams are expected to make several more roster moves within the next 21 days.

Rams waive undrafted rookie LB, opening up a roster spot

The Rams opened up a roster spot, waiving 2024 UDFA Elias Neal on Monday.

The Los Angeles Rams announced on Monday that they have waived LB Elias Neal. Neal, a 2024 undrafted free-agent signing from Marshall University, impressed coaches and executives in the preseason. Neal defied the odds, making the teams’ 53-man roster to begin the season.

During his time with the Rams, Neal was active in five games and exclusively played on special teams. Neal saw zero defensive snaps during his time with the organization.

Waiving Neal opens up a roster spot for the Rams. Only time will tell what the Rams do with said opening but Sean McVay said Monday that the team could activate Joe Noteboom from injured reserve this week, so he would require a spot on the 53-man roster.

Rams should monitor Mike Williams’ situation with Jets

The Jets could trade Mike Williams after acquiring Davante Adams, but the Rams should wait to see if he’s cut

After Aaron Rodgers’ public criticisms of Mike Williams damaged the Jets’ relationship with the wide receiver, they broke it beyond repair when they traded for Davonte Adams this week.

Williams, whose time with the Jets already seems to be coming to an end, has garnered some interest from a few teams around the league. While the Rams could trade for him, they should instead remain patient and see how things work out.

Williams is only on a one-year deal and would most likely be a rental and not a candidate to be re-signed long-term. However, if these suitors for Williams fall through, the Jets could simply release him. If that happens, the Rams should swoop in and give him a shot.

If signed, Williams would give the Rams a new dynamic in the receiver room. He can catch the jump ball and has been one of the best jump-ball receivers in football. He’s hard to defend on the slant because of his size and he’s a nightmare for defenses in the red zone.

Williams may be interested in Los Angeles as he previously spent seven years with the Chargers. Perhaps the Jets’ trash could be the Rams’ treasure and provide a boost to Los Angeles’ red zone woes.