Previous versions

Post-2018 NFL Draft (April 30)

Pre-training camp (July 28)

Training camp Week 2 (August 3)

QB (2)

(2017: 2 kept on initial 53-man roster)

In: Jared Goff, Sean Mannion

Out: Brandon Allen, Luis Perez

No longer on roster: N/A

Changes from last projection: N/A

I know it’s tempting to just dump Mannion after Thursday’s performance, but he’s been around for four years. He was the backup all last year. Clearly, there’s something about that investment that this coaching staff and their predecessors aren’t willing to move on from.

If they sincerely were, they would have done something more in free agency or the 2018 NFL Draft.

Now all that being said, there has to be some threshold that Mannion could cross to slide to QB3, right? There has to be a level of play that he could come in under that could motivate the staff to consider pushing Allen up if he looks good in game opportunities and in camp.

But for now, I’m sticking with the Human Somewhere On This Earth.

RB (3)

(2017: 3)

In: Todd Gurley, Malcolm Brown, John Kelly

Out: Justin Davis, Nick Holley

No longer on roster: N/A

Changes from last projection: N/A

I’ve got Davis just on the outside. Had he played more special teams on Thursday, I’d consider that an investment opportunity for the Rams.

And while Brown doesn’t have as much versatility to his game as Kelly does, he’d be a solid keeper for third downs and/or goalline situations as we alluded to on Turf Show Radio.

WR (6)

(2017: 6)

In: Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, Josh Reynolds, Pharoh Cooper, Mike Thomas

Out: Steven Mitchell, Fred Brown, KhaDarel Hodge, Codey McElroy, Jojo Natson, Kendal Thompson

No longer on roster: Aaron Lacombe

Changes from last projection: N/A

Things were pretty ugly offensively especially on the line early on. So it was tough to run enough plays to really get a good sense of the wideouts. I’d like to think Mitchell is in range to displace Thomas, but he’s just got to get more involved.

TE/FB (3)

(2017: 3)

In: Gerald Everett, Tyler Higbee, Temarrick Hemingway

Out: Johnny Mundt, Henry Krieger-Coble

No longer on roster: N/A

Changes from last projection: N/A

Hemingway’s drop early on stood out, but it’s not a real representation of his skill set. The bigger question is (a) what he could offer on special teams where he played MUCH less than the two tight ends I left out of the 53-man and (b) how well he blocks over the next three games.

OL (9)

(2017: 10)

In: Andrew Whitworth, Rob Havenstein, Rodger Saffold, Jamil Demby, John Sullivan, Darrell Williams, Joseph Noteboom, Brian Allen, Austin Blythe

Out: Jake Eldrenkamp, Cornelius Lucas, Aaron Neary, Jeremiah Kolone

Suspended: Jamon Brown

No longer on roster: N/A

Changes from last projection: N/A

Ok, this one was hard. I already had the drafted rookies in and Lucas out, so the real pressure point was Darrell Williams. The unofficial depth chart only lists five tackles in Whitworth, Havenstein, Williams, Lucas and Noteboom. So to leave a third-round rookie as the only depth at tackle is just too risky for me even given the quality of Williams’ play.

It does set up an interesting thought exercise though.

Let’s say as we’re cutting the roster, we’re at this point. If you decide then to cut Williams too, who would take that spot? There’s not another tackle to just replace him with. Would you replace him with an interior offensive lineman knowing that you could push Saffold or Brown outside in a pinch or would you look for position depth and/or special teams contributors elsewhere? I’d lean toward the latter which is pretty clear on the defensive decisions below, but I could certainly understand why some would lean toward the former.

DL (7)

(2017: 5)

In: Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers, Ndamukong Suh, Dominique Easley, Ethan Westbrooks, Sebastian Joseph-Day, John Franklin-Myers

Out: Tanzel Smart, Omarius Bryant, McKay Murphy, Chunky Clements, Lord Hyeamang

No longer on roster: N/A

Changes from last projection: N/A

Gonna take a lot to push me off of this one.

OLB/EDGE (4)

(2017: 6)

In: Samson Ebukam, Matt Longacre, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Justin Lawler

Out: Brian Womac, Ejuan Price, Trevon Young, Ryan Davis, Marcus Martin

IR: Morgan Fox

No longer on roster: Garrett Sickels

Changes from last projection: N/A

Another very, very tough one. It’s early though. I could be easily coaxed into changes next week depending on what happens on Saturday.

ILB (5)

(2017: 4)

In: Mark Barron, Micah Kiser, Ramik Wilson, Cory Littleton, Tegray Scales

Out: Bryce Hager

No longer on roster: N/A

Changes from last projection: N/A

Still like this one. A lot.

CB (6)

(2017: 5)

In: Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib, Nickell Robey-Coleman, Troy Hill, Sam Shields, Dominique Hatfield

Out: Taurean Nixon, Ramon Richards, Curtis Mikell

IR: Kevin Peterson

No longer on roster: N/A

Changes from last projection: N/A

[Insert picture of me tugging my collar here]

S (5)

(2017: 6)

In: Lamarcus Joyner, John Johnson III, Marqui Christian, Blake Countess, Travin Howard

Out: Steven Parker, Isaiah Johnson, Afolabi Laguda, Nate Holley

No longer on roster: N/A

Changes from last projection: N/A

Same as the edge defenders. I really like Parker. And Laguda was pretty impressive on Thursday given where he stands.

ST (3)

(2017: 3)

In: Greg Zuerlein, Johnny Hekker, Jake McQuaide

Out: Sam Ficken

No longer on roster: N/A

Changes from last projection: N/A

Yup.

So no changes. I wanted to, but couldn’t really figure out who to drop. Had I had Williams AND Lucas last week, I would have dropped one.

We’ll have to see how things shake out on Saturday. I’m praying we at least display some competency on the O-line to be able to run the playbook. There’s also an issue of matchup. If it’s our second-string against their starters on both sides, that’s going to be a daunting talent deficiency to overcome collectively to be able to assess guys individually much like last week.

But mainly, I just want to be able to shake up my 53-man. Let’s do this - I promise changes next week one way or the other.

Who do you have differently? How many still have Williams AND Mannion making it? Any other rookies impressing enough for you to make the cut and not just the practice squad?