The roster deadline is months away for the Los Angeles Rams, but there's plenty of value in seeing how the roster currently stacks up. The Rams have some positions to fortify and questions they need to answer and have the cap space to do so.
Who makes the roster? Which previous players don't make the 2024 roster? With rookie minicamp coming up, I gave it my best shot to project what the Rams's 53-man roster will look like before the season.
Los Angeles Rams 53-man roster projection
Quarterback (2*):
- Matthew Stafford
- (Jimmy Garoppolo*)
- Stetson Bennett
There's no real surprise here. Bennett will have to work his way back to fully guarantee his spot on the roster, but I'd be surprised if he doesn't make his way onto the initial 53. Garoppolo will have to serve his suspension but will return.
Running back (4):
- Kyren Williams
- Blake Corum
- Ronnie Rivers
- Boston Scott
I do have Zach Evans off the roster. The Rams coaching staff never showed much trust in him last season and then proceeded to add Blake Corum and Boston Scott over the last week. Rivers gets the edge due to his special teams ability.
How the split works between Williams and Corum will be interesting to monitor. Corum's athleticism could give an edge the Rams might prefer as the season goes on. For now, Williams projects as the starter.
Wide receiver (6):
- Cooper Kupp
- Puka Nacua
- Demarcus Robinson
- Tutu Atwell
- Jordan Whittington
- Drake Stoops
No real surprises at the top, but the bottom of this room could be interesting. I do think that Whittington will overtake Skowronek's role. However, I would be interested to see if the Rams opt to keep Skowronek over Atwell due to his special teams ability, versatility, and blocking.
I do have UDFA Drake Stoops making the roster due to his ability as a returner. It's a projection for Stoops, but he's nifty at making people miss and is sure-handed, something the Rams prefer with their frequent fair catch decisions.
Tight end (3*):
- (Tyler Higbee*)
- Colby Parkinson
- Davis Allen
- Hunter Long
The asterisk is there to represent Tyler Higbee's place on the roster. However, it's pretty likely he lands on the PUP list (or even IR) after tearing his ACL and MCL. The Rams will likely use multiple tight-end sets this season, so all three could see plenty of action early.
Offensive tackle (4):
- Alaric Jackson
- Joe Noteboom
- Rob Havenstein
- Warren McClendon Jr.
No real surprises here as well. Noteboom is the likely backup to Jackson at left tackle, while McClendon backs up Havenstein at right and tries to earn the right to be the Rams' long-term answer there when Havenstein hangs it up.
Interior offensive line (5):
- Jonah Jackson
- Steve Avila
- Kevin Dotson
- KT Leveston
- Beaux Limmer
Both rookies make the roster over some established players like Logan Bruss and Zachary Thomas. Leveston kicks inside to guard, where he's best suited for, while Beaux Limmer serves as the main backup center to Avila.
Defensive Line (6):
- Kobie Turner
- Braden Fiske
- Bobby Brown III
- Tyler Davis
- Desjuan Johnson
- Larell Murchison
This is the room I feel the least enthused about, with plenty of unproven players here. Kobie Turner is an established lock who will play more roles than he did last year, but the rest of the room is entirely unproven. Braden Fiske projects to be a sub-package player as well.
It's a very light defensive line without many proven run defenders, and I'm not sure who is going to end up playing the base end opposite of Kobie Turner without a breakout from last year's Mr. Irrelevant Desjuan Johnson.
Edge rusher (6):
- Jared Verse
- Byron Young
- Michael Hoecht
- Nick Hampton
- Ochaun Mathis
- Brennan Jackson
This room feels the most secure of any group on the defensive side of the ball, and all six guys should make it. This is the deepest pass rush room the Rams have had in years and gives them plenty of options to deploy creatively.
Linebacker (4):
- Ernest Jones
- Christian Rozeboom
- Jake Hummel
- Troy Reeder
Outside of Ernest Jones and probably Christian Rozeboom, who knows what the Rams will do at linebacker. They kept just 3 on the initial 53 last year and might elect to do the same with Kam Curl as a pseudo-linebacker, but they like Jake Hummel and I doubt they'd sign Reeder just to cut him after not drafting anyone to take his place.
Cornerback (5):
- Tre'Davious White
- Darious Williams
- Cobie Durant
- Tre Tomlinson
- Shaun Jolly
I do have Derion Kendrick off the roster until proven otherwise. White and Williams are the two primary outside starters, while Durant, Tomlinson, and Jolly can play both inside and outside.
Safety (5):
- Kamren Kinchens
- Kam Curl
- Quentin Lake
- Russ Yeast
- Jason Taylor II
Kamren Kinchens and Kam Curl are your likely two starters at safety this season, with Lake primarily handling nickel duties. Yeast and Taylor are on moderately shaky seats at the bottom of the roster, but I have them making the team until the team makes another move at the position.
Specialists (3):
- K Joshua Karty
- P Ethan Evans
- LS Alex Ward
Barring any injuries, these three are your projected specialists and hopefully can lock down these spots for the long-term.
