ESPN released an article on the players each team is most likely to cut after the preseason. After the preseason concludes, each team is required to trim the roster size to 53 players.
There will be plenty more players than just one per team in cut week, but these are the players that ESPN predicted to be out of a job. The Rams are expected to release Bobby Evans, according to Sarah Barshop.
Of these cuts, there are bound to be some hidden gems. Some of these players are guys the Rams should look at and possibly sign. Here are just five of those players:
Greg Van Roten – Buffalo Bills
Van Roten has experience playing everywhere on the offensive line. However, the veteran has most of his experience at right guard. If Logan Bruss wins that position during training camp and preseason, Evans is likely off the team. Evans’ departure would leave a hole for the Rams’ offensive line depth. Given his experience, Van Roten could be a good fill for that hole. Not only that, but he would be a player-coach of sorts for Bruss.
Tony Jefferson – Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have loads of depth at the safety position. That is the reason Jamison Hensley gave for naming Jefferson as a cut candidate. The eight-year veteran would be a welcome addition to the Rams. The team needs a good, open-field tackler.
“Taylor Rapp”
– @ajdillon7pic.twitter.com/fc4nyGWJs3 https://t.co/OvXo8C5uVo
— Jordan Stauber (@JordanStauber) June 28, 2022
Jefferson does exactly that, though. Of his 469 career tackles, 354 of them have been solo. However, Jefferson can do more than just tackle. The safety has a knack for breaking up passes when he is on the field.
D’Ernest Johnson – Cleveland Browns
Johnson is another Jefferson case. He is talented, but the Browns’ running back room is stacked. As a result, Johnson is the odd man out, according to Jake Trotter. Rams fans welcome that news with the injuries sustained at the position already. No one knows if Cam Akers will be back to his old self after the Achilles tear. Rookie Kyren Williams has a broken foot. While he is expected to be back during camp, he could aggravate the injury. Darrell Henderson is good, but he misses time each year. If the Rams added Johnson, the backfield would be stacked. Not only that, but injury would, hopefully, be less of a concern for the position.
Malik Reed – Denver Broncos
Reed enters the final year of his rookie deal in 2022. Like many listed before him, Reed is the victim of being in a crowded group. In this case, the Broncos edge-rushing group is the stacked party, according to Jeff Legwold. If Reed joined the Rams, he could make a home for himself in that room. Leonard Floyd notwithstanding, the Rams have unproven talent at edge rusher. If Reed is available, he would be the second in career sacks in that room behind Floyd. The team could use extra help rushing the passer, so Reed’s addition would be beneficial.
P.J. Walker – Carolina Panthers
In case the Rams do not want to add Robert Griffin as a free agent, Walker would be a welcomed addition to the quarterback room. Again, Walker is a case of too many players in the Panthers’ quarterback room. The Rams have the opposite of that problem. They have Matthew Stafford. If injured, John Wolford has shown that he can’t win consistently. If cut, Walker carries a winning record from his days as a Panther. As a matter of fact, Walker is undefeated as a starter. His play is not pretty, but the Panthers’ offensive line has not provided him with much. The Rams line is better. As a result, if an injury happened to Stafford, Walker could be a decent plug-in for a little while.