Meet the St. Louis Rams practice squad

Filling out the practice squad is a natural step flowing from the great cut down. The St. Louis Rams added six to their practice squad yesterday, and are on the verge of adding a seventh. That leaves one more spot to fill. 

Obviously, the practice squad players lack household name status. They give teams extra depth throughout the long season. It also keeps young players in the fold, allowing them to practice, hence the name, and exposure to life in the NFL. Ideally, that translates to a productive part of the roster, some roster, in their second year...or not. 

The players on the practice squad so far:

• CB Tim Atchison - He actually saw quite a bit of playing time in the preseason thanks to all the injuries that befell the Rams cornerbacks. 
• DT John Henderson - SIgned as a UDFA, Henderson was vying for time at a crowded position. The Rams usually keep an extra DL on the practice squad. 
• OL Kevin Hughes - The Southeastern Louisiana product can play both guard and tackle. 
• OL Ryan McKee - A familiar face that spent last season on the practice squad too. McKee helped organize the informal workouts with the Rams' other offensive linemen this summer. 
• S Jonathan Nelson - The only draft pick on the practice squad, Nelson was a late bloomer during his time at Oklahoma. We talked to an OU expert for more about Nelson after the draft. 
• RB Chase Reynolds - I suspect Keith Toston might have been on the practice squad if he had been eligible. Reynolds was a productive rusher at Montana. He started the preseason with the Seahawks. More on Reynolds here. 

Not official, but the Rams are expected to add linebacker Scott Lutrus to the practice squad as well. He spent the preseason with the Jaguars. The UConn product looks more like a strongside linebacker in the NFL, and scouting reports spoke highly of his ability to cover the flat and those short tight end routes. The Rams always keep an extra LB on the practice squad, and I guess that seven linebackers on the roster doesn't change that. Lutrus might be a real steal. One scouting report pegged him as a mid-round prospect.