2016 Los Angeles Rams Training Camp Roster Position Battle Update: Week 5

With one more preseason game to go, let’s take a look at the roster position battles and how things are shaping up for Saturday’s deadline to cut down to the 53-man roster.

Here’s Brian Muehling’s update from last week for reference.

QB

It seems all but settled that Case Keenum has won the Rams’ 2016 starting QB battle. Hard to believe I’m typing it, but it’s reality. Since that obviously means Jared Goff isn’t ready to take the reins, I think it’s fair to ask if he should even be made the backup. Shouldn’t there be a similar battle for the backup slot between Goff and Sean Mannion? If not because Goff should just be assigned the #2 slot at minimum, that makes a fair case that Mannion shouldn’t even be on the roster.

RB

It certainly seems Malcolm Brown has a leg up on Aaron Green and Terrence Magee. The real question is if Chase Reynolds’ special teams contributions are still valuable enough to justify him squeezing out younger competition. Reynolds turns 29 in October. Can he still edge out Brown or Green or any other chromatically named backs on special teams gunner skills alone?

WR

Man, I dunno. I flipped Nelson Spruce for Mike Thomas in my last 53-man projection. I don’t have any real conviction one way or another. The threshold is sow tenuous...and low.

TE/FB

Justice Cunningham vs. Temarrick Hemingway is the decision #1. Decision #2 is whether or not whomever comes out on top of that makes the 53-man.

OL

Yeah, I just don’t know. There’s so much going on at the back end...none of it involving Isaiah Battle.

DL

The Coples move was certainly interesting. Does that open room up for DEs Matt Longacre and/or Ian Seau?

LB

Might be a good time to take note of who’s getting snaps on special teams...

DB

Special teams, yes, but also depth. The Rams have room for regular season snaps here. I went 10-deep on the 53-man and that was before Coples was cut. So while special teams availability certainly comes into play here, so does legitimate position depth.

ST

Hahaha.