And just like that the Los Angeles Rams wide receiving room is jam-packed with talent. Reading the McVay-tea leaves notes that players who don’t play in the preseason are locks to make the roster. That means Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, Demarcus Robinson, and Tutu Atwell are all penciled in to make the roster once the league requires teams to reduce their rosters to 53 players from 90.
Typically, the Rams carry six wide receivers on their 53-man roster. That doesn’t leave much room for three candidates vying for two available jobs, plus a potential dark horse candidate who could make a big case for himself making the roster.
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Los Angeles Rams Roster Locks
Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, Demarcus Robinson, and Tutu Atwell
As stated above, none of these players have suited up for the preseason games, which, in McVay’s world, means he has already made up his mind about them.
Earned a Spot on the 53-man roster
Jordan Whittington and Tyler Johnson
Whittington has emerged from the preseason as a favorite target of Stetson Bennett. The 2024 6th-rounder’s 11 receptions and 126 yards have sealed his spot on the team.
Tyler Johnson is the front-runner for the sixth and likely final spot. The 6 foot 1, 205-pound former Golden Gopher has played about half the team’s offensive snaps but he has earned his roster spot at training camp and at the teams’ joint practices. Johnson spent most of last season on the Rams practice squad but played in the finale against the San Francisco 49ers.
Smith Forces Team To Keep 7 WRs
Xavier Smith
It isn’t outside the realm of possibility that the Rams keep seven receivers depending on how the rest of the roster plays out. Both Xavier Smith and JJ Laap have made their case to be kept and, to the Rams’ detriment, they have both done so on national television.
Smith proved to be a versatile asset catching, rushing, and returning kicks. While Laap caught the Rams’ preseason’s longest play from scrimmage, a 47-yard bomb from Stetson Bennett which resulted in one of two touchdowns scored by the Rams in the preseason
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We will likely get a good look at both receivers in the Rams’ final exhibition game, as will WR-desperate teams searching the waiver wire on August 27th. With a good showing from either player, they won’t make it through waivers and the Rams cannot resign them to the practice squad. Allocating a seventh spot would alleviate this issue.
