Players not returning in 2026

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Soul Surfer

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Couldn't find a thread on this but I was interested in our posters takes;
I guess we can say Havenstien and Xavier Smith for sure.
I guess I am talking about players that won't even be invited to camp.

Who else you got?

(I couldn't find a thread on this but feel free to merge if there's already one going)
 
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Despite his troubles returning punts, I'm not sure on Smith.

Prior to the playoffs, he had shown reliable hands for two seasons.

Smith also showed some promise as a reserve WR, with Nacua and Adams the only WRs to have more receptions. Plus, Smith is only an Exclusive Rights free agent ... so he is easy and cheap to retain.

The Rams are thin at WR. I would bring him to camp but that doesn't mean he makes the roster.

On the negative side, Smith will be 29, so he's not likely to improve.

Havenstein and Higbee are not under contract but will count $9M against the cap (void years).
Have no expectation for Havenstein to return; and don't think Higbee does either.

As to the unrestricted free agents, don't see Atwell, Witherspoon or Humphries getting contract offers; and Dear God ... please move-on from Kendrick and Reeder.

Personally, I like Curl but am not a fan of Durant. Think both will get well-paid. Don't know how strongly the Rams feel about either.

Finally, expect the Rams to release Darious Williams. I think they like him (I do also) but not with an $8.7M cap hit; and $7.5M in cap savings, if he is let go, is significant.
 
Concerning the tougher secondary decisions, I think they make Durant an offer. Otherwise, our CB room is paper thin without a lot of depth as we release DWill, and Kendrick and Akhiello go to FA.

I also would hesitate to bring back Curl at market value. He had a few good games for us, but disappeared more often than not the last half of the season and had one very good playoff game.

My guess is the Rams go after the biggest name FA CB that they envision playing the star role. They move Lake back to a safety position with him dropping into the box and obvious run downs.

My belief is they draft a safety they like on day 1 or 2 or roll the dice with McCullough who’s been solid aside from a few missed tackles. They’ll probably grab a safety later in the draft for ST in either scenario.
 
So is this just going to become a vent thread featuring people arguing over who they want to get rid of?
Don't they always turn into vent threads?
It seems you know us too well.
But I would be happy if posters would justify the reasoning behind a player not returning.

There's always roster turnover and some players are more obvious than others.
And sometimes there's not much else to talk about in the offseason. ;)
 
Honestly, I expect a different looking roster. Not too different, but different.

I'm frustrated with X, and considering that Pharoh Cooper was better and was cut for less (and also considering that we have a new STs coordinator and assistant STs coordinator from a different team), it wouldn't shock me one bit to see him gone, even though he's an ERFA. He's also older compared to the other receivers we have (X is turning twenty-nine this September), and I think we're going to sign Brennan Presley and Tru Edwards to futures deals along with Mario Williams (not even counting receivers that are likely going to be drafted by us), so there's even more younger competition in the way.

Oldnotdead (if he's okay. I know that he was extremely opinionated, rubbed people the wrong way, and we didn't see eye-to-eye on some topics, but I still hope he's doing okay.) should be happy with Havenstein likely retiring. I wish Big Rob the best in his new endeavors, but McClendon took that job by the horns.

We probably shouldn't forget that Higbee is a free agent as well. I hope we re-ink him to a short-term contract; he makes us a better football team, but I wouldn't go more than two years and six-to-eight million-per-year. He's aged, and he's had injuries. He's still a good tight end, but the injuries and age is concerning.

As for our secondary, I'd like to keep Kam Curl and Roger McCreary. I'd hope for a three-year deal with Curl and a one-year, prove-it contract with McCreary. D-Will is someone I believe will be cut to make room for a possible signing, and he's lost a fair few steps. Witherspoon, you could possibly ink to a lesser deal, but I think they want to remake that room. I think Durant is going to get paid a lot more than we're willing to go. Kendrick is a RFA, but I don't like him and don't want to keep him.

Tutu's likely gone. I wish we could've used him better, but it wasn't to be.

I don't know about Reeder. He's like the cat that comes back from that one song; there could be a nuclear fallout, and he'd be on our team with a smug-ass grin.

Humphries and Quessenberry are likely gone as well. I think you could say Quessenberry could stay, but Humphries, when not healthy scratched, was pretty bad.

Garoppolo should be going elsewhere if we're drafting a young quarterback.

I don't know what you do with Rivers. He's played more than Hunter, but he's the kind of player you upgrade.

Don't know what you do with McQuaide either. I have to assume that we're going to bring in a younger long-snapper for competition, since he's a thirty-eight-year-old, but he steadied the entire unit. We'll chalk that up as a "we'll see".

That's my thoughts on the whole roster. Not going to get into draft stuff too much on this thread.

A lot of things are going to depend on whom we sign to futures and whom we sign/trade for in free agency.
 
Don't they always turn into vent threads?
It seems you know us too well.
But I would be happy if posters would justify the reasoning behind a player not returning.

There's always roster turnover and some players are more obvious than others.
And sometimes there's not much else to talk about in the offseason. ;)
Yeah... you're right man. I just grow weary and wary whenever we are eliminated from the season. It seems it becomes open season to shit on the players and organization by some. Of course, many of those same people don't really wait until our season is over. :eyeroll:

Carry on.
 
Cuts! Cuts! Cuts!

I hope our front office is capable of looking at these guys objectively because their was a huge talent gap vs. Seattle.

They have a lot of work to do let’s hope they dont phone it in.
 
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I just hope your initial thought is right.
I am rarely right but ...
1770139380421.webp
 
I think the Rams need to move on from several role players because they are limited physically and while they might be comfortable with them they are role players with no upside and versatility.

Xavier Smith - hasn’t been very dynamic as a punt return and his size and lack of speed limit him as a receiver- replacing him with Mario Williams would be cheap and could be a plus for special teams.

Ronnie Rivers- not exactly dynamic as a kick returner and other than his ability to pass protect in the backfield- replacing him with Jarquez Hunter should be a no brainer. If not why draft Hunter.

Troy Reeder - Special teams player with limitations. Really not an option on defense so why fill a roster spot with someone who has so little of an upside. You want to improve ST you need to improve roster depth.

I’m guessing both Havenstein and Higbee will be moving on and believe it’s time for both. They have been great Rams players but they both have regressed in play and have been dealing with injuries for the past few seasons. Draft a TE and Swing Tackle,

Rams need to churn the bottom of their roster in part for cap considerations but more importantly to upgrade their athleticism and overall team speed. If you want good special teams you need an infusion of young talent that’s hungry.

The Rams seem to hang on to the same people every year on the bottom of the roster because of some type of loyalty or maybe continuity but I think it limits their upside because they miss out on younger more talented players with more upside. I think the Rams would be just fine without Rivers, Kendrick, Ingle, Reeder, Smith, Acuri and others not on the roster or practice squad.


I think if you want to get better in the NFL you need to be willing to make changes and take chances because keeping the same guys on the roster and practice squad limits your ability to improve. Let’s find some UDFA gems and restock our depth and teams
 
I think the Rams need to move on from several role players because they are limited physically and while they might be comfortable with them they are role players with no upside and versatility.

Xavier Smith - hasn’t been very dynamic as a punt return and his size and lack of speed limit him as a receiver- replacing him with Mario Williams would be cheap and could be a plus for special teams.

Ronnie Rivers- not exactly dynamic as a kick returner and other than his ability to pass protect in the backfield- replacing him with Jarquez Hunter should be a no brainer. If not why draft Hunter.

Troy Reeder - Special teams player with limitations. Really not an option on defense so why fill a roster spot with someone who has so little of an upside. You want to improve ST you need to improve roster depth.

I’m guessing both Havenstein and Higbee will be moving on and believe it’s time for both. They have been great Rams players but they both have regressed in play and have been dealing with injuries for the past few seasons. Draft a TE and Swing Tackle,

Rams need to churn the bottom of their roster in part for cap considerations but more importantly to upgrade their athleticism and overall team speed. If you want good special teams you need an infusion of young talent that’s hungry.

The Rams seem to hang on to the same people every year on the bottom of the roster because of some type of loyalty or maybe continuity but I think it limits their upside because they miss out on younger more talented players with more upside. I think the Rams would be just fine without Rivers, Kendrick, Ingle, Reeder, Smith, Acuri and others not on the roster or practice squad.


I think if you want to get better in the NFL you need to be willing to make changes and take chances because keeping the same guys on the roster and practice squad limits your ability to improve. Let’s find some UDFA gems and restock our depth and teams
Yeah, you mention a few PS guys. A good subject would be which PS guys have a shot to stick next year?

I think a few WRs might be a factor depending on whether we draft one WR or multiple. Tru Edwards could stick as a #5 WR. He has good size, maybe a yr in the system & weight room helps him make it. Pressly or Mario Williams, if one can be a trusted, could end up being the return guy.

Mark Redman could stick at TE4 if they don't draft one. He had a solid college career and showed well in preseason.

Not sure any of the DL have much upside. Bill Norton is huge, but not sure he offers much for overall.

Do any of the OL step up. Can McMahon be the back up C?

I see don't see much at DB or LB. Just dudes with no special characteristics.
 
Well, dont we typically have 2 threads, 1 for NFL cuts/trades/FA signings and 1 specifically for the Rams transactions?
 
The Rams seem to hang on to the same people every year on the bottom of the roster because of some type of loyalty or maybe continuity but I think it limits their upside because they miss out on younger more talented players with more upside. I think the Rams would be just fine without

This is key. We have to do better at the bottom of the roster, in addition to the secondary.
 
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