The axe is falling

[-X-]

Jim Thomas

The Rams must reach the 75-man roster limit later this afternoon, and so far there are no big surprises among the team's roster cuts.

Wide receivers Charles Gilbert and Brandyn Harvey, offensive lineman Kevin Hughes, linebacker Alex Hoffman-Ellis, and running back Calvin Middleton are the latest roster cuts confirmed by the Post-Dispatch.

That brings to 10 the number of confirmed cuts. The others:

• Defensive lineman John Gill

• Linebacker Noah Keller

• Fullback Todd Anderson

• Place-kicker Garrett Lindolm

• Running back Nicholas Schweiger

That leaves five more players to be released, or put on injured reserve by 3 p.m. this afternoon.

Middleton, a rookie free agent, from Jacksonville State, did have some moments for the Rams in camp and in preseason play, but at the moment the four halfbacks on the active roster are Steven Jackson, Isaiah Pead, Daryl Richardson, and Chase Reynolds. Reynolds had a strong game against Dallas on Saturday.

Hoffman-Ellis also flashed at times on special teams and at linebacker, but the competition was all but impossible at middle linebacker behind James Laurinaitis and Josh Hull.

Hughes spent the last seven weeks of the 2011 season on the Rams' active roster and appeared in three games.

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football ... Zc.twitter

 

[Afro Ram]

It's hard to complain too much with the quality play of our runningbacks, but I thought Middleton defintely out played Reynolds and thought he would have least made the practice squad. I would have really liked to see Middleton get more reps, it just didn't seem like he got much of a chance.

 

[classicpony]

Looks to me like the Fish got a few easy one in his mind. Not for some tuff cuts or BIG names or cutting $salaries$.

I would guess..... DX is coming yet today and Illinois Mike is gone too. Lets see what happens.

 

[Memento]

Looks to me like the Fish got a few easy one in his mind. Not for some tuff cuts or BIG names or cutting $salaries$.

I would guess..... DX is coming yet today and Illinois Mike is gone too. Lets see what happens.

I highly doubt that Hoomanawanui is gone; he's been great in the games he's played.

Very surprised at Hoffman-Ellis being cut so early; I think that he should've gotten a much better shot than he did.

Not surprised that Reynolds made it over Middleton. Reynolds gets more YAC and plays special teams.

 

[-X-]

On Hoffman-Ellis ... if he was brought in to compete for MLB only, then he had very little shot at making this team. There's no way he beats out Hull, and even less chance of him beating out Laurinaitis. But that said, this is a little strange. Hull was working at SAM, and it even looked like he has a chance to be the starter there. You'd think that would leave room for Hoffman-Ellis if that's the case.

That said, I don't want this to turn into another Jabara Williams blood feud. :lol:

 

[Memento]

On Hoffman-Ellis ... if he was brought in to compete for MLB only, then he had very little shot at making this team. There's no way he beats out Hull, and even less chance of him beating out Laurinaitis. But that said, this is a little strange. Hull was working at SAM, and it even looked like he has a chance to be the starter there. You'd think that would leave room for Hoffman-Ellis if that's the case.

That said, I don't want this to turn into another Jabara Williams blood feud. :lol:

Hoffman-Ellis can play the weakside as well. I'm hoping that we at least keep him for the practice squad; he's shown so much more than, say, Sammy Brown.