Some thoughts on some final cut decisions...

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Rams43

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About JoJo. While it’s true that he is not among the top 8 WR’s, it’s also probably true that he is a Bone’s decision for the ST. I think McVay is gonna defer to coach Bones here. TBH, how many snaps is our 6th WR likely to get, anyway? If the decision is to keep JoJo, I’m just gonna have to accept it and move on. Sigh...

Wolford just has “IT”, and will never make it through waivers. I mean, he’s a promising QB, for cryin’ out loud! Those are scarce as hen’s teeth, y’all. We keep him on the 53 or we lose him. It’s really that simple. And then we’re back in the position next year of not having either a #2 or a #3. No thanks.

Webster and Hodge will NOT clear waivers, okay? Maybe Greene will be claimed, as well. If the first two are cut then we lose them. Only way to salvage some value for either is to trade them for a player or a pick.

Darious Williams is another player that will not clear waivers. Very possibly Deayon is another. CB’s are a precious commodity in today’s NFL and both of these kids are playmakers. I think Wade keeps Hill simply because of his experience, despite the apparent higher ceiling for the youngsters. A darned if you do, darned if you don’t thing.

Steven Parker is my last very likely player not to clear waivers. He’s put out too much good tape and he will be snatched up long before it’s our turn at #31.

The above constitute 5-7 promising players that very likely will be cut and at the same time very likely to be claimed. There could be more at DL and LB, tbh. And surely a few of these kids are gonna come back and haunt us while playing for other teams.

Man, when’s the last time you recall the Rams having a roster that talented at such depth?

I do NOT envy Snead/McVay making these agonizing decisions.
 

Elmgrovegnome

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Keep in mind that most of the plays that these guys made were against second and third string units. Maybe against the Rams 1st team units it is more revealing to the coaches, who really stands out. Getting open against the Rams D is a more realistic measurement, as is getting an interception of Goff or covering, Woods, Cooks, or Kupp.

The coaches have the better view when it comes to camp. Maybe some of what we saw in pre-season really does translate. Maybe not.
 

Merlin

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WR Hodge. WR Web. CB Williams. OLB Durham. That's four guys who look like cuts who can ball and might be able to play significant snaps for some teams.

OLB Carraway (not sure of injury status), S Gervase, S Parker, CB Deayon... I could keep going re: guys who teams will be interested to get a better look at.

This year's roster is insane. Great job by the staff and the scouting group.
 

BonifayRam

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WR Hodge. WR Web. CB Williams. OLB Durham. That's four guys who look like cuts who can ball and might be able to play significant snaps for some teams.

OLB Carraway (not sure of injury status), S Gervase, S Parker, CB Deayon... I could keep going re: guys who teams will be interested to get a better look at.

This year's roster is insane. Great job by the staff and the scouting group.
Wade loves Edge Rushers & ER Rookie Landis Durham has had an excellent preseason. He the size the other ER's do not have, excluding Dante Fowler. Durham has played his heart out in comparison to John Franklin-Myers, Smart & Fox.

I am tinkering of the thought that the 6-3 260lbs Durham being available to play in our front five has much more upside to this defense for this teams future than other front five players i.e. Trevon Young, Justin Lawler, Morgan Fox & Tanzel Smart.

Wade needs to find a way to keep either CB Darious Williams or CB Dont'e Deayon on this team .... once again to prepare this defense secondary for the future. Drafted David Long had a preseason to forget performance. Long might be Wade's poorest performing corner on the team......that would include Hatfield.
 

Merlin

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I am tinkering of the thought that the 6-3 260lbs Durham being available to play in our front five has much more upside to this defense for this teams future than other front five players i.e. Trevon Young, Justin Lawler, Morgan Fox & Tanzel Smart.
Gonna rewatch last night's game (was distracted and doing things while streaming it). But it did look like Durham balled his @$$ off on some plays. So you might be right and it wouldn't surprise me.
 

Ram65

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About JoJo. While it’s true that he is not among the top 8 WR’s, it’s also probably true that he is a Bone’s decision for the ST. I think McVay is gonna defer to coach Bones here. TBH, how many snaps is our 6th WR likely to get, anyway? If the decision is to keep JoJo, I’m just gonna have to accept it and move on. Sigh...

I put up JoJo's numbers in another thread. He has very good value as a returner. I also said the same as you on Hodge. Like him but, how much would he play?

Wolford just has “IT”, and will never make it through waivers. I mean, he’s a promising QB, for cryin’ out loud! Those are scarce as hen’s teeth, y’all. We keep him on the 53 or we lose him. It’s really that simple. And then we’re back in the position next year of not having either a #2 or a #3. No thanks.

I didn't put him on my final roster but, he could be there. Not sure if he gets picked up by other teams. I got a 9th Offensive Lineman in Vitas .....who could go to practice squad.
 

BonifayRam

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Gonna rewatch last night's game (was distracted and doing things while streaming it). But it did look like Durham balled his @$$ off on some plays. So you might be right and it wouldn't surprise me.
How often will we see Wade run out two DT's & two Edge Rushers in his defensive front?

Does Wade really need 7 or 6 DL'ers on the 53 player master roster? If he goes HD with ER's/OLB'ers? Wade has had big issues of being short on ER's the last two seasons. I would believe he is tired of facing this problem each & every week of the season. I am thinking he will fix his past indigestion on game day that restricts what he wants to do......which is bomb away with pass rushers.

The big FOUR DL'ers are Donald. Brockers, Sebastian Joseph-Day & Gaines......the others like Fox, Smart & JF-M are not as critical. Wade could get by with just one of those three. Wade could go with 2 DL'ers on the Practice Squad like rookies DT's Bryant Jones & Marquise Copeland in stand-bye mode.
 

Merlin

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How often will we see Wade run out two DT's & two Edge Rushers in his defensive front?

Does Wade really need 7 or 6 DL'ers on the 53 player master roster? If he goes HD with ER's/OLB'ers?

The big FOUR DL'ers are Donald. Brockers, Sebastian Joseph-Day & Gaines......the others like Fox, Smart & JF-M are not as critical. Wade could get by with just one of those three. Wade could go with 2 DL'ers on the Practice Squad like rookies DT's Bryant Jones & Marquise Copeland in stand-bye mode.
I expect that 2 DL look will be reserved for the college offenses we'll be seeing (like Arizona, the 2-5 is good vs option and wildcat type attacks), as well as games where the Rams take a big lead.

Re: the DL depth chart they kept 7 last season. You have 3 starters (AD, Brock, SJD), backup NT (Gaines), and 3 backups that can rotate in different spots (JFM, Smart, Fox). IMO the least they can go is 6, that rotation is important vs teams like Seattle not to mention injury prevention.
 

snackdaddy

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About JoJo. While it’s true that he is not among the top 8 WR’s, it’s also probably true that he is a Bone’s decision for the ST. I think McVay is gonna defer to coach Bones here. TBH, how many snaps is our 6th WR likely to get, anyway? If the decision is to keep JoJo, I’m just gonna have to accept it and move on. Sigh...

Wolford just has “IT”, and will never make it through waivers. I mean, he’s a promising QB, for cryin’ out loud! Those are scarce as hen’s teeth, y’all. We keep him on the 53 or we lose him. It’s really that simple. And then we’re back in the position next year of not having either a #2 or a #3. No thanks.

Webster and Hodge will NOT clear waivers, okay? Maybe Greene will be claimed, as well. If the first two are cut then we lose them. Only way to salvage some value for either is to trade them for a player or a pick.

Darious Williams is another player that will not clear waivers. Very possibly Deayon is another. CB’s are a precious commodity in today’s NFL and both of these kids are playmakers. I think Wade keeps Hill simply because of his experience, despite the apparent higher ceiling for the youngsters. A darned if you do, darned if you don’t thing.

Steven Parker is my last very likely player not to clear waivers. He’s put out too much good tape and he will be snatched up long before it’s our turn at #31.

The above constitute 5-7 promising players that very likely will be cut and at the same time very likely to be claimed. There could be more at DL and LB, tbh. And surely a few of these kids are gonna come back and haunt us while playing for other teams.

Man, when’s the last time you recall the Rams having a roster that talented at such depth?

I do NOT envy Snead/McVay making these agonizing decisions.

I wouldn't bet on that many players being claimed. Especially the unproven ones, which they all are. I don't know about you, but I haven't watched the other 31 teams this preseason. I only watched the Rams guys. I'm impressed the way some of these guys have played, but I'm pretty sure there are a lot of other players around the league who impressed too.
 

thirteen28

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I do think with our roster being more loaded than it has been since the GSOT days, a lot of our cuts are going to get second and third looks, and at least a few will not clear waivers. But it sure beats the hell out of the days when we knew every cut would clear waivers and end up on our practice squad.
 

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If we are going to cut JoJo then Pharoah would make sense as a replacement. Is there room for him on the roster though?
I was saying this it was crazy to cut Webster and Hodge, allowing Natson to make the team...It was just a further comment about options to Natson
 

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I do think with our roster being more loaded than it has been since the GSOT days, a lot of our cuts are going to get second and third looks, and at least a few will not clear waivers. But it sure beats the hell out of the days when we knew every cut would clear waivers and end up on our practice squad.
Or when we pined for the future of Nelson Spruce, because he was our great hope...lol
 

oldnotdead

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If you go back to last season, Wade uses 2 DT's and two edge rushers frequently on passing downs. He would shift Brockers to 3T opposite AD and last year JFM got snaps at DE. Now he has an upgrade to JFM in Ogbo.

Where the need is at depth behind AD. If they really do like SJD they could carry him there. Smart really didn't impress at all IMO.

Also, something I think went unnoticed is that they were moving Gaines around and he played 3T ane even 5T much as they used Suh. It was clear he can play 3T but he will need a year to develop and improve before he can play 5T.