Cutdown to 54

Let the speculation end, here is the full cut list:

Isaiah Battle
Alex Bayer
Emory Blake
Malcolm Brown
Christian Bryant
Justice Cunningham
Austin (sniff) Davis
*** Jo-Lonn Dunbar ***
Marcus Forston
Montell Garner
Jacob Hagen
Martin Ifedi
*** Barrett Jones ***
Zach Laskey
Matt Longacre
Marshall McFadden
Brandon McGee
Trovon Reed
Dan Rodriguez
Louis Trinca-Pasat
Brandon Washington


Looks like RamView went 16 for 21 here. I was keeping Battle, Cunningham, Dunbar, Garner and Jones; the Rams kept Tim Barnes, Cameron Lynch, Bradley Marquez, Cody Wichmann and Darrell Williams instead.

Analysis:
I think it's a big risk exposing Battle to waivers, which is why I kept him on the 53-man. I think Wichmann would have been a smaller risk, and I really don't know what they see in Williams. I never saw a final-roster-quality player watching him. The offensive line got the spot I was saving for Garner, who I kept largely because the Rams usually go with 10 DBs.

Justice Cunningham did a fine job blocking all preseason, and it's a big surprise to me that they kept 6 WRs vs. only 3 TEs, with the 6th WR being the butterfingered Marquez. Cunningham also showed up better to me on special teams. I think this is a pretty big miss by the front office. Tim Barnes was used some as a goal line TE last year, so one of the lineman will likely be the de facto TE4, possibly Demetrius Rhaney.

Jones over Barnes was just a bad call by me; Barnes started Thursday night, which should have been a big ol' sign. With Jones' injury history, you had to keep Barnes if Jones hadn't clearly passed him. And Barnes is playing stronger than he has in the past. Keeping him is not a bad move.

Lynch over Dunbar is a surprise because I didn't expect them to keep 6 LBs. I did briefly have Dunbar on my cut list, so I at least want credit for seeing that coming. As a backup to Akeem Ayers, though, who already won't be on the field all three downs, Dunbar's a luxury, and Lynch was a guy who "popped" on special teams. It's not a big upset he went from UDFA to final 53.

And whatever you think of Isaiah Pead, this is a pretty big comeback for him.

Anticipated practice squad, provided these players don't get snapped right up:

Battle
Bayer
M. Brown
Bryant
Cunningham
Garner
Ifedi
Longacre
Trinca-Pasat
and, believe it or not, as Jim Thomas and Nick Wagoner have both reported, Jones, who has practice squad eligibility.

Congratulations to those who made the team, and best of luck to those now looking for one. 

-$-