Rams Make Cuts To Set 53-Man Roster For Start Of 2024 Season

The Los Angeles Rams made their first wave of roster cuts earlier in the week, and then they announced a bunch more ahead of Tuesday’s deadline to get the roster down to 53 players for the start of the 2024 season.

Among the players that they waived with no recall were offensive lineman A.J. Arcuri, offensive lineman Justin Dedich, running back Zach Evans, tight end Miller Forristall, defensive back Tanner Ingle, defensive back Shaun Jolly, tight end Nikola Kalinic, defensive back Cam Lampkin, defensive lineman Tuli Letuligasenoa, offensive lineman Mike McAllister, defensive lineman David Olajiga, wide receiver Xavier Smith, wide receiver Drake Stoops, defensive back Jason Taylor II, outside lineback Keir Thomas, offensive lineman Zachary Thomas, outside linebacker Zachary VanValkenburg and wide receiver Sam Wiglusz.

Additionally, the Rams also waived defensive end Anthony Goodlow due to an injury and placed tight end Tyler Higbee on the PUP list. The move with Higbee doesn’t come as much of a surprise as he will miss at least the first four games due to a knee injury.

And finally, the Rams placed three players on injured reserve in offensive lineman K.T. Leveston, defensive lineman Larrell Murchison and defensive back Tre’Vius Tomlinson. Both Leveston and Murchison were designated to return while Tomlinson was not, meaning he will not play during the 2024 season.

Perhaps the most notable cut of this bunch is Smith, who impressed during the preseason but unfortunately is a victim of playing receiver, where the Rams have a ton of depth. Evans, Taylor and both Thomas’ are also players with experience that didn’t make the cut.

Who did make the cut though were five undrafted defensive free agents in defensive backs Josh Wallace, Charles Woods and Jaylen McCullough as well as linebackers Omar Speights and Elias Neal. The Rams obviously liked what they saw out of these guys during training camp and the preseason.

McCullough and Speights, in particular, were really impressive and could see snaps right away for Chris Shula’s young defense.

Rams trade Ernest Jones to Titans

One other roster move the Rams made was trading a 2026 sixth round pick and linebacker Ernest Jones to the Tennessee Titans for a 2026 fifth round pick.

Jones was the unquestioned leader of the Rams’ defense after Aaron Donald retired but he wanted a new contract that L.A. was not willing to give, so they parted ways. The emergence of both Speights and Neal helped make that decision easier for the Rams.