Summary and evaluation of Rams Saints game

[shovelpass]

Completely Agree about AI ...
but I do see the following from the Rams' Team site.
Again, I just don't remember Waters on the 2025 PS.
... and I have a very good memory for Extremely Unimportant, Trivial, Useless Information.

Rams sign 15 players to Reserve/Future contracts​

Feb 19, 2026 at 03:00 PM

Stu Jackson - Senior Staff Writer

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – The Rams have signed 15 players to Reserve/Future contracts, ensuring each of them a spot on the team's roster this spring.
Each signee spent time on the Rams' practice squad during the 2025 season: They are:

• OL A.J. Arcuri
• OL Wyatt Bowles
• WR Tru Edwards
• S Tanner Ingle
• CB Alex Johnson
• CB Cam Lampkin
• OL Dylan McMahon
• ILB Elias Neal
• DL Bill Norton
• WR Brennan Presley
• TE Mark Redman
• WR Tyler Scott
• S Nate Valcarcel
• RB Jordan Waters
• WR Mario Williams

That is interesting. Though my guess is it's an error on Jackson's part. To my knowledge Mario Williams was also never on the practice squad. The Rams roster page is usually out of date, but the transactions page is updated regularly. I checked there for Waters. In 2025 he shows up twice. Signed on 05/10 and waived 08/26.

 

[BonifayRam]

I agree with others in that my biggest takeaway from this game is that Wesley Bailey is making this roster. I kept seeing his name come up in training camp reports making plays and I had no idea who he was. 6'5, 260 lbs, 34" arms, 4.6 speed, and can do it all as a pass rusher. Power, speed, rip, bend, spin, etc. Gets off the ball fast and explodes into the OT with a variety of pass rush moves. Bailey is as impressive as any back end of the roster pass rusher I can remember and that's including guys like John Franklin-Myers and Sebastian Joseph-Day who went on to prove they could be full time starters.

He's making the 53 and will contribute on Sundays.

Never cut a (great Gift)-very young legit talented ER #47 discovery for a JAG RB who is very good at ST.

I know, they really REALLY like Rivers & ST need him, but you just can't do it & not have big regrets later, when you can NOT come close to afford paying UFA Young (even with his damage knee) ...what he can get elsewhere. BE REAL!

Hoping Rams are smart keep #47. Cut Rivers let him clear waivers (which he certainly will) evaluate your 53 MR after the dust clears.

Four out of five rookie draft class:
Looked very good in TC & PS. Trost not doing anything above the rest in TC & then goes out first series in first gm?? Not positive.

3 top Rookie UDFA finds (all on defense) :
ER Bailey
CB N. Fourqurean (keeper!) prepare him to replace Forbes next season.
CB Al'Zillion Hamilton

 

[tomas]

It would be a colossal blunder if they cut Wesley Bailey over Rivers

 

[fanotodd]

Keeping 3 QBs and 5 TEs hurts, especially since they won’t all dress on game day. It’s all about protection.

Simpson is not supposed to play this year.

Klare won’t even dress on game day unless one of the big four are unavailable. That being the case, it would be just as easy to pull him up from the PS as it would to finally put his roster spot to use and dress him. Either way, he doesn’t make the game day active roster unless one of the big four can’t play.

…but that’s the way it is. The Rams discover and develop players. They draft well. They are filling more rosters than their own.

 

[den-the-coach]

It would be a colossal blunder if they cut Wesley Bailey over Rivers

They won't cut Bailey as to Ronnie Rivers, well, I expect the Rams to keep 4 RB's and even though most of us do not agree, Rivers will be one of them. Rivers has become the Troy Reeder of the offense.

 

[Coliseum Ram]

They won't cut Bailey as to Ronnie Rivers, well, I expect the Rams to keep 4 RB's and even though most of us do not agree, Rivers will be one of them. Rivers has become the Troy Reeder of the offense.

Pretty sure RB's 1-3 are set. RB4 is down to Hunter/Connors/Waters. Unless there's a chance we keep 5???

 

[Ram65]

Please, if you're going to use AI, check the sources provided. It is, yet again, incorrect. The link provided directs to a Ramswire article. Nowhere does it say that he was signed back to the practice squad.

Ok, thanks; will do. That AI is crazy. So he is starting this year like last year, trying to make the PS at least.

 

[den-the-coach]

Pretty sure RB's 1-3 are set. RB4 is down to Hunter/Connors/Waters. Unless there's a chance we keep 5???

I don't see the Rams keeping 5, they might lose Connors not sure about Waters, but Hunter will be kept, he shown enough and is very explosive.

 

[Coliseum Ram]

I don't see the Rams keeping 5, they might lose Connors not sure about Waters, but Hunter will be kept, he shown enough and is very explosive.

Keeping the faith in Connors still.

 

[André]

Would really prefer they keep Connors and Hunter (or even Waters) at this point, but it looks pretty clear Rivers is here to stay.

 

[Ram65]

Klare won’t even dress on game day unless one of the big four are unavailable. That being the case, it would be just as easy to pull him up from the PS as it would to finally put his roster spot to use and dress him. Either way, he doesn’t make the game day active roster unless one of the big four can’t play.

No chance he makes the PS.

 

[JonRam99]

Rivers has become the Troy Reeder of the offense.

I was going thru this thread & literally thinking the same thing.
There's a few "love to have them around" players that might get cut, to make room for new blood whose talent is too good to let go of.
Rivers needs to be one. Possibly TE Allen, if we can trade him. Maybe a few on the DL like Ty Hamilton or Tyler Davis or DJ. It's the only way to make the room necessary to make the team the best it can be for this yr's SB run.

 

[Noregar]

From an cold analytical aspect Rivers is an easy cut because he will not be claimed if he is cut and he can be put on the PS and even brought back later to the 53 after all the dust settles with IR designations. He can even be kept on the PS early and get activated for game day ST before being fully elevated to the active roster at some point for teams. However when you drill down to the relational aspect of team building he may not get cut. He is a vet now and the relationships within the clubhouse with the staff and players can also affect roster dynamics. From a more personal standpoint it is harder to cut key glue guys and and ping pong them back and forth on the roster. Even though players say NFL stands for Not For Long relationships still matter and the Rams seems to value that a lot in their culture.

As a fan with no personal attachments I say cut him and put him on the PS but it may not be that simple.

 

[BonifayRam]

Keeping 3 QBs and 5 TEs hurts, especially since they won’t all dress on game day. It’s all about protection.

Simpson is not supposed to play this year.

Klare won’t even dress on game day unless one of the big four are unavailable. That being the case, it would be just as easy to pull him up from the PS as it would to finally put his roster spot to use and dress him. Either way, he doesn’t make the game day active roster unless one of the big four can’t play.

…but that’s the way it is. The Rams discover and develop players. They draft well. They are filling more rosters than their own.

I will throw into left field ...in response to your above comments to consider here....

Not sure which NFL team currently has major issues/problems @ TE??? Anybody have any come to mind?......However Rams TE room is super thick with good TE's ( Higbee/ Parkinson/ Ferguson/ Allen) & potential future young TE cadre with....Klare/ Redman/ Jones & Villari. That's a good group.

Last season's starter Colby Parkinson (current cap hit $9,843,413) will be a UFA in 6 months. He is a very talented solid proven starter who would carry a lot of interest to TE needy teams who need a proven TE. Why? Trading Parkinson gives Rams back $5.5 million of open cap space with a 2027 Dead Cap of zero. Just in case IF AD #99 wants to be paid ??

 

[WestCoastRam]

I will throw into left field ...in response to your above comments to consider here....

Not sure which NFL team currently has major issues/problems @ TE??? Anybody have any come to mind?......However Rams TE room is super thick with good TE's ( Higbee/ Parkinson/ Ferguson/ Allen) & potential future young TE cadre with....Klare/ Redman/ Jones & Villari. That's a good group.

Last season's starter Colby Parkinson (current cap hit $9,843,413) will be a UFA in 6 months. He is a very talented solid proven starter who would carry a lot of interest to TE needy teams who need a proven TE. Why? Trading Parkinson gives Rams back $5.5 million of open cap space with a 2027 Dead Cap of zero. Just in case IF AD #99 wants to be paid ??

Parkinson is our best TE.

Please don't just compare him to incomplete TE's that are just passing weapons.

That dude is the straw that stirs this offenses drink.

If someone with more knowledge could let me know that Higbee was 90% of the player he was before his injury I think I could get behind this but I don't think he is.

 

[RamDino]

I just don't get the Ronnie Rivers love. Put him on the practice squad, coach. He is still on the team and can get activated at any time. Why risk losing one of the more promising players to poaching when Rivers will not get claimed. I would hate to see the whiners pick up one of our running backs or the hags going after someone in the secondary.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Rivers has become the Troy Reeder of the offense.

 

[Memento]

I don't get the Rivers love at all and hope he's cut for Connors and/or Hunter, but the Murchison love from the coaches is even worse. The guy doesn't even play teams like Rivers does. He's a poor pass-rusher who got two sacks in his only year with an actual role. He's not that good against the run either. Hell, Desjuan Johnson does what Murchison does, except better.

If D-John or Bailey get cut over him, I'm going to be pissed.

 

[BonifayRam]

Parkinson is our best TE.

Please don't just compare him to incomplete TE's that are just passing weapons.

That dude is the straw that stirs this offenses drink.

If someone with more knowledge could let me know that Higbee was 90% of the player he was before his injury I think I could get behind this but I don't think he is.

Do you have any thoughts on the issue of having 5 TE's filling up 53 player MR?

My guess you would not trade Parkinson for future draft selection but just cut long time veteran TE Tyler Higbee instead? By the way I think CP is the best TE last season nut he is gone in 6 months.

Higbee is now 2 1/2 yrs away from that nasty very low hit to the knee from Lions S Kerby Joseph. Knee ACL/MCL Tear event NFC 2024 Wild Card game. Add in the 2025 Pedal Ankle Sprain in November last season that caused him to miss 6 gms. However Higbee played in 10 regular season gms in 2025 with over 32% of the offenses snaps returning from that injury. Higbee's 2026 & 2027 contract is very friendly to Rams where CP's is not.

I am sure his knee's are not in undamaged condition but his knowledge of this offense is unmatched. That knee injury was the only grade 3 injury in his NFL career.

 

[snackdaddy]

No chance he makes the PS.

Yup. It would be foolish to put a second round pick on the PS. Someone would surely poach him. He'll be on the 53 but inactive on game days early in the season. Could change later.