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Every year the St. Louis Rams must evaluate their roster and make some tough cuts, and this year was no different. There were a few surprises, and a few cuts that were long overdue. Here are the top five cuts from the Rams roster:
QB Austin Davis
The writing was on the wall for Austin Davis: the Rams drafted Sean Mannion in the third round, they traded for Case Keenum, and Davis barely saw any playing time during the preseason. Keenum was soon named the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart, and it is likely due to his familiarity with the offense. Mannion won’t see the field this season unless injuries occur, but he is a prospect that the Rams have high hopes for in the future. That doesn’t leave much room for Davis.
Davis’s cut is a result of his up-and-down performances last season. He started off well, but finished in turmoil. Head coach Jeff Fisher pulled the plug on the Davis experiment when he replaced him with veteran Shaun Hill and never looked back. It’s not all bad for Davis, because he has already landed a roster spot with the Cleveland Browns.
C/OG Barrett Jones
The most shocking cut had to be Barrett Jones. He isn’t as well-known as Davis, but at one point, Jones was thought to land a starting job either at guard or center. He enjoyed quite a bit of playing time in the preseason and did his job for the most part. So why the cut? It’s true that Jones didn’t allow many defenders to get past him, but he also didn’t drive them backwards either. That’s one of the reasons that Rams running backs struggled to get into a rhythm this preseason. Jones needed to create holes and he wasn’t able to, which is why the center position will be manned by Tim Barnes and Demetrius Rhaney. Rhaney’s progression was likely part of the decision too. Expect him to earn a starting role at some point this year.
OLB Jo-Lonn Dunbar
Out of all the cuts, this is one that shouldn’t have surprised anyone. It’s clear that Rams management is pushing a youth movement. Dunbar is a veteran, who has been declining over the past few seasons. One of the reasons the Rams rushed to sign Akeem Ayers is because of Dunbar’s ineffective play. He definitely wasn’t going to be a starter, but some experts believed he might serve as a veteran off the bench. That spot went in favor of the undrafted rookie Cameron Lynch. Lynch plays a similar style to Dunbar, but with more athleticism and more potential. The Rams could always bring back Dunbar if injuries occur.
DT Louis Trinca-Pasat
Louis Trinca-Pasat is the least known player on this list, and the reason is he is an undrafted free agent from the University of Iowa. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams knows how to scout defensive prospects and Trinca-Pasat would have made just about any roster. He had an impressive preseason, registering some key tackles, but the Rams opted to go with eight defensive linemen instead of nine. However, the Rams do have him on the practice squad ready to cover for an injured player should that happen.
OT Isaiah Battle
Seeing the “gem” of the 2015 NFL Supplemental Draft cut may have surprised a few people, but it shouldn’t if you really payed attention to Isaiah Battle during the preseason. Battle was drafted on potential alone, because he has the size and some of the tools it takes to make it in the NFL. The problem is that he is extremely raw and it showed. He is the definition of a project player, and the Rams don’t have room on the roster for a young and underdeveloped offensive lineman. To put things into perspective, he had to clear waivers before the Rams could sign him to the practice squad. That’s not to say that Battle can’t improve, but it may be a while before he makes his way onto any roster.
You can follow Johnny Gomez on Twitter @Johnny5not6. Be sure to follow Rams Talk on Twitter @TalkRams.
2015, 2015 NFL Supplemental Draft, Austin Davis, Barrett Jones, Cameron Lynch, Case Keenum, Demetrius Rhaney, featured, Greg Williams, Isaiah Battle, Jo-Lonn Dunbar, Louis Trinca-Pasat, NFL, Nick Fairley, preseason, Sean Mannion, Shaun Hill, St. Louis Rams, Tim Barnes
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Every year the St. Louis Rams must evaluate their roster and make some tough cuts, and this year was no different. There were a few surprises, and a few cuts that were long overdue. Here are the top five cuts from the Rams roster:
QB Austin Davis
The writing was on the wall for Austin Davis: the Rams drafted Sean Mannion in the third round, they traded for Case Keenum, and Davis barely saw any playing time during the preseason. Keenum was soon named the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart, and it is likely due to his familiarity with the offense. Mannion won’t see the field this season unless injuries occur, but he is a prospect that the Rams have high hopes for in the future. That doesn’t leave much room for Davis.
Davis’s cut is a result of his up-and-down performances last season. He started off well, but finished in turmoil. Head coach Jeff Fisher pulled the plug on the Davis experiment when he replaced him with veteran Shaun Hill and never looked back. It’s not all bad for Davis, because he has already landed a roster spot with the Cleveland Browns.
C/OG Barrett Jones
The most shocking cut had to be Barrett Jones. He isn’t as well-known as Davis, but at one point, Jones was thought to land a starting job either at guard or center. He enjoyed quite a bit of playing time in the preseason and did his job for the most part. So why the cut? It’s true that Jones didn’t allow many defenders to get past him, but he also didn’t drive them backwards either. That’s one of the reasons that Rams running backs struggled to get into a rhythm this preseason. Jones needed to create holes and he wasn’t able to, which is why the center position will be manned by Tim Barnes and Demetrius Rhaney. Rhaney’s progression was likely part of the decision too. Expect him to earn a starting role at some point this year.
OLB Jo-Lonn Dunbar
Out of all the cuts, this is one that shouldn’t have surprised anyone. It’s clear that Rams management is pushing a youth movement. Dunbar is a veteran, who has been declining over the past few seasons. One of the reasons the Rams rushed to sign Akeem Ayers is because of Dunbar’s ineffective play. He definitely wasn’t going to be a starter, but some experts believed he might serve as a veteran off the bench. That spot went in favor of the undrafted rookie Cameron Lynch. Lynch plays a similar style to Dunbar, but with more athleticism and more potential. The Rams could always bring back Dunbar if injuries occur.
DT Louis Trinca-Pasat
Louis Trinca-Pasat is the least known player on this list, and the reason is he is an undrafted free agent from the University of Iowa. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams knows how to scout defensive prospects and Trinca-Pasat would have made just about any roster. He had an impressive preseason, registering some key tackles, but the Rams opted to go with eight defensive linemen instead of nine. However, the Rams do have him on the practice squad ready to cover for an injured player should that happen.
OT Isaiah Battle
Seeing the “gem” of the 2015 NFL Supplemental Draft cut may have surprised a few people, but it shouldn’t if you really payed attention to Isaiah Battle during the preseason. Battle was drafted on potential alone, because he has the size and some of the tools it takes to make it in the NFL. The problem is that he is extremely raw and it showed. He is the definition of a project player, and the Rams don’t have room on the roster for a young and underdeveloped offensive lineman. To put things into perspective, he had to clear waivers before the Rams could sign him to the practice squad. That’s not to say that Battle can’t improve, but it may be a while before he makes his way onto any roster.
You can follow Johnny Gomez on Twitter @Johnny5not6. Be sure to follow Rams Talk on Twitter @TalkRams.
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