Checking the 2019 Los Angeles Rams 53-man roster to 3k’s final projection

Yesterday, I put my final 53-man roster projection up. Today, we got the real thing.

Here’s what I got right and wrong:

QB

Projected: Jared Goff, Blake Bortles
Official: Goff, Bortles

This one was always pretty easy. We’ll see if John Wolford returns via the practice squad.

RB

Projected: Todd Gurley, Darrell Henderson (rookie), Malcolm Brown, John Kelly
Official: Gurley, Henderson, Brown

“Still think Kelly gets in, but wouldn’t be shocked if the Rams trim down to three here.”

I felt it, but just didn’t pull the trigger. With Kelly having played so little special teams last year, I should’ve been more open to another position beefing up for teams help which is what occurred.

WR

Projected: Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, Josh Reynolds, JoJo Natson, Mike Thomas
Official: Cooks, Woods, Kupp, Reynolds, Natson, Thomas, Nsimba Webster (UDFA)

Ok, Lion King!

If KhaDarel Hodge clears, he’ll likely be back on the practice squad.

TE/FB

Projected: Gerald Everett, Tyler Higbee, Johnny Mundt
Official: Everett, Higbee, Mundt

Like QB, this one was relatively easy to project.

OL

Projected: Andrew Whitworth, Rob Havenstein, Joseph Noteboom, Brian Allen, Austin Blythe, Bobby Evans (rookie), David Edwards (rookie), Jamil Demby
Official: Whitworth, Havenstein, Noteboom, Allen, Blythe, Evans, Edwards, Demby
Suspended: Aaron Neary

The flexpoint here was Demby, but not dressing for the final preseason game essentially confirmed his spot here.

A good reminder of the balance of priority between practice reps and the preseason.

DL

Projected: Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers, Sebastian Joseph-Day, John Franklin-Myers, Greg Gaines (rookie), Morgan Fox, Tanzel Smart
Official: Donald, Brockers, Joseph-Day, Gaines, Fox, Smart

The odd man out? JFM. A legitimate surprise as he was the snap count leader last year among all rookies playing nearly a third of all the snaps.

OLB/EDGE

Projected: Clay Matthews, Samson Ebukam, Dante Fowler, Jr, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Natrez Patrick (UDFA),
Official: Matthews, Ebukam, Fowler, Jr., Okoronkwo, Patrick, Justin Lawler

Lawler essentially in for JFM, though I wonder if that’s more of a special-teams-for-defense swap in terms of a roster decision.

ILB

Projected: Cory Littleton, Bryce Hager, Dakota Allen (rookie), Trevon Young
Official: Littleton, Hager, Travin Howard, Troy Reeder

Missed this one...but Troy Reeder?! There’s your special teams surprise, folks.

CB

Projected: Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib, Nickell Robey-Coleman, David Long (rookie), Troy Hill
Official: Peters, Talib, Robey-Coleman, Long, Hill, Darious Williams

Williams a bit of a surprise, but I tried to peg the NRC backup. Rams had enough quality depth there to select from.

S

Projected: John Johnson III, Eric Weddle, Taylor Rapp (rookie), Marqui Christian, Steven Parker, Nick Scott (rookie)
Official: Johnson, Weddle, Rapp, Christian, Scott

Parker would be a fine practice squad candidate. I really thought he’d get in on the defense+teams formula.

ST (3)

Projected: Greg Zuerlein, Johnny Hekker, Jake McQuaide
Official: Zuerlein, Hekker, McQuaide

FF >>

---

So 48 out of 53. 90.5%.

I got an A!

Relatively easy roster to pin down though compared to most other teams. The key to remember next year (although many will forget (because many do every year)) is to factor in some surprises and not lean into preseason performances too hard.

Yes, they matter. No, they’re not the determining factor.

Overall though...not too bad?