cuts (continued) …17 so far (we know who 15 of them are)

Nick Wagoner @nwagoner
Rams have released 17 players and will be able to put WR Bailey on reserve/suspended list. To get to 53, four more moves to be made.

Jim Thomas @jthom1
Rams to release cornerback Greg Reid and LB Lawrence Wilson. That leaves just four more cuts to reach 53.

Jim Thomas @jthom1 ·
Rams are still heavy at TE (with 5), RB (with 5), defensive line (11), secondary (11), and possibly o-line (10). But injuries to. . .

. . .Barrett Jones and Trumaine Johnson are complicating things for Rams.

Nick Wagoner @nwagoner ·
Rams could put Jones on IR if they’d like. Could designate him to return even though that seems a waste for a backup.

Nick Wagoner @nwagoner ·
Considering Rams thin at QB (2 on roster) and LB (5 on roster), expect them to vet options for both spots, especially those w/ experience.

Jim Thomas @jthom1 ·
I’m told TE Justice Cunningham came out of the Dolphins game with a high ankle sprain. That would probably make it impossible for Rams. . .

to keep him on active roster. Meaning the 4th TE job would go to Alex Bayer. And that would leave 3 roster moves for Rams to reach 53.

Rams still have four roster moves to make

By Nick Wagoner | ESPN.com

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/p … es-to-make

EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams are taking their final roster decisions down to the wire as Saturday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline to reach a 53-man roster approaches.

But Friday afternoon into Saturday, the team began making moves to get close. They’ve released 17 players already and will be able to place receiver Stedman Bailey on the reserve/suspended list for the first four games. That leaves the Rams with just four more moves to make to get from 75 to 53.

Released so far: WR Emory Blake, G Travis Bond, DE Kourtnei Brown, S Avery Cunningham, WR Austin Franklin, QB Garrett Gilbert, DT Deantre Harlan, LB Aaron Hill, OT Sean Hooey, CB Greg Reid, LB Etienne Sabino, TE Brad Smelley, LB Phillip Steward, OT Mitchell Van Dyk, WR Justin Veltung, LB Lawrence Wilson and CB Darren Woodard.

So with four moves to make, the Rams have some tough decisions as they try to balance the numbers with special teams with their efforts to keep the 53 best players on the team.

There are a few places they are still heavy.

At tight end, the Rams still have five players. They will likely keep four, leaving them a decision between Justice Cunningham and Alex Bayer. According to Jim Thomas, of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Cunningham suffered an ankle injury against Miami on Thursday night. That could easily mean Bayer makes the roster and the Rams make a move with Cunningham.

In the secondary, the Rams currently have 11 players on the roster including six cornerbacks. I expect them to keep six because of the injuries to Trumaine Johnson (knee) and Brandon McGee (ankle). But five safeties is probably too many. T.J. McDonald, Rodney McLeod and Maurice Alexander are locks. Cody Davis and Christian Bryant might be in a battle for what could be a final spot with special teams a strong factor.

At defensive line, the Rams have 11 currently on the roster with eight set in their spots. That leaves Ethan Westbrooks, Michael Sam and Matt Conrath jockeying for position. At this point, Westbrooks looks to be locked in. Conrath has been battling an undisclosed injury, which could require additional maneuvering in the form of a settlement if the Rams wish to part ways with him.

On the offensive line, Barrett Jones presents the biggest conundrum. He had back surgery and is out for an extended period. The Rams could place him on injured reserve if they don’t believe he’ll be back in a reasonable amount of time. If they choose to keep him, it would mean keeping 10 linemen, as they did last year.

And, at running back, the Rams have five currently on the roster but it’s entirely possible they’ll keep it that way. They carried five last season and Trey Watts and Chase Reynolds both have strong cases to stick.

We’ll find out officially at today’s 4 p.m. ET deadline.

Agamemnon wrote:

If the names JT has given us are correct and the Rams don’t add anyone, I think these are the last 4 cuts.

J Cunningham /waived/injured.
Reynolds, Chase
Conrath, Matt
Christian Bryant
</span>

If so, then Bryant probably goes to the PS. Unless he gets snatched up.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by zn.

Agamemnon wrote:

They can be put on the practice squad, except Reynolds, who can be added after the first regular season game, depending on circumstances.

.
What’s the rule covering that IE Reynolds? (Just curious.)

• This reply was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by Agamemnon.

Agamemnon wrote:

It isn’t a rule. It is a choice they can make according to circumstances.

_

I wonder because wasn’t Reynolds on the roster last year? If so does he qualify for the PS? I know he was on the PS before, has he spent his allotted PS time?

Mackeyser wrote:

On your list, you have Gibson. I think you mean Garrett Gilbert, who was released today by the Rams.

I’m also following these guys on the twitter machine…

Yeah, thanks…typo. I will edit in the correction.