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* QB: Starting at QB, where the Rams released veteran Kellen Clemens as well as Tom Brandstater. They'll go with rookie free agent Austin Davis as the only backup to Sam Bradford. I would have kept 3 QBs; this is an astonishing gamble, imo. Bradford has been fragile going back to his senior year at Oklahoma. He takes 11 months or more to recover from ankle sprains. He's behind a very-unproven offensive line, to be charitable. The Rams went through 4 QBs last year. There's no way in hell they're going to get by with 2, short of Bradford suddenly turning into Brett Favre.
* RB: Ovie Mughelli, Ben Guidugli, Chase Reynolds. The most disappointing cut to me is actually Reynolds. Thought he did everything on special teams and late in games to earn a roster spot. The first of a couple of good special-teams players I'm surprised they let go. Brit Miller fools another coaching staff into thinking they've got a starting-quality fullback. At least he's an excellent special teamer they kept.
* Receivers: Nick Johnson, Corey Harkey, DeAngelo Peterson. Along with Reynolds, all should have a solid shot at the practice squad. Austin Pettis' suspension weeks 1-2 allowed the Rams to cut only 21 players to reach the 53-man limit.
* Offensive line: Tim Barnes, T-Bob Hebert, Joe Long, Brian Mattison, Jose Valdez. Ultimately no surprises here. T-Bob is T-bad. Mattison made too many pass-blocking mistakes. I like Long for the practice squad.
* Defensive line: Cornell Banks, Mason Brodine, Vernon Gholston, Jamaar Jarrett, Scott Smith. No surprises again, other than the list at this position being a little shorter than I expected. I thought Smith earned a PS opportunity.
* Linebackers: Aaron Brown, Sammy Brown. Despite looking pretty lost earlier in camp, Aaron Brown, the first of the Rams' two seventh-round picks in April, ranks as a surprise to me. Especially because he must have been drafted for his special teams play, and he looked good there. Would sure think he's being looked at for practice squad. Spoiler alert: Sammy Brown has already been claimed by the Dolphins, so the Rams miss out on a chance to stash a pass-rushing specialist prospect. He's a better fit for Miami's system anyway. Also, good thing they didn't try to get Austin Davis through waivers.
* Secondary: Kendric Burney. No surprise again; Burney just wasn't very good.
* Survivors: RamView went 17 for 21 on the second round of cuts. I would have kept Clemens, Mughelli, Reynolds and Aaron Brown. The Rams kept four players I'd all call surprising:
- Quinton Pointer. What can I say about the man I gave a 0.1% chance of making the roster? First of all, good for him. Second of all, I wish I would have had a third run at updating the free-agent odds. He was clearly improving by the Dallas game, and is certainly the most improved player from the beginning of camp. I would have bumped him up to at least 20%. But third, this is still a bizarre move. What happened to keeping your best 53 players? I really do not get trading Josh Gordy, and the Rams are apparently now trying to trade Bradley Fletcher, so you can keep Quinton Pointer? Especially when we've seen no proof Pointer can cover anyone alive man to man. He made some special teams plays, but I'd hardly call him better than Reynolds or Aaron Brown. Good for Pointer, but I'm still quite puzzled.
- Matt Daniels. Another head-scratching move. Rodney McLeod ripped the fourth safety job out of Daniels' hands at the beginning of camp and kept it for good. Daniels never stood out to me at anything. Jim Thomas speculates the Rams have to keep 5 safeties because of "just chillin'" Darian Stewart's never-healing hamstring.
- Greg Salas. I let the radio crew talk me into projecting a Salas cut Thursday night. Why not just keep 5 WRs when it was likely Pettis would just come in and take his job anyway? Spoiler alert, though: Salas has been traded to the Patriots for an unspecified late-round pick in 2015. Everyone keep your eyes on this year's mediocre college sophomores, then.
- Darell Dorell Freaking Scott. Has never made a play in his career, and STILL the guy just won't die. And he's supposed to be out at least two weeks into the season, what good does that do a team already dangerously short at DT? I'll speculate the Rams are going to rush him back into action. Hell, he's more experienced than anyone else they can replace Brockers with; if he can go, he could be an opening day starter.
The Rams do have more moves pending. I'll do my best to get to them all ASAP.
-$-
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