The St. Louis Rams had made 12 transactions on Monday, which reduced their roster to 77 players in advance of the NFL’s mandatory cutdown to 75 players on Tuesday. Thus, they still had two moves to make, and they made those decisions on Tuesday morning, releasing defensive tackleDoug Worthingtonand linebacker Keshaun Malone to reach the 75-player maximum.
More fromArch Authority
- St. Louis Cardinals: Randal Grichuk to begin Double-A rehab stint
- John Brebbia deserves a shot as the St. Louis Cardinals’ closer
- St. Louis Cardinals place Randal Grichuk on DL, recall José Martínez
- St. Louis Cardinals release RHP Corey Baker from organization
- St. Louis Cardinals activate Kolten Wong and Kevin Siegrist from DL, option Luke Weaver and Alex Mejia to Triple-A
The 28-year-old Worthington, who was beginning his sixth NFL season, had been with the team since joining the practice squad in mid-December of 2014. Earlier this offseason, the 6-foot-5, 318-pounder was viewed as a possible candidate for the Rams’ fourth defensive tackle spot. However, he missed nearly all of training camp with an unspecified injury and failed to get on the field for any preseason games. During that time, two players, converted defensive endEthan Westbrooksand undrafted rookie Louis Trinca-Pasat, moved firmly ahead of him in the race for a job. The Rams also have veteranMarcus Forstonon the roster, so those three players will continue competing for what is likely to be one final defensive tackle spot behindMichael Brockers,Aaron Donald, andNick Fairley.
The 6-foot-2, 260-pound Malone was signed as an undrafted free agent this spring out of Bacone College, a small NAIA program in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Interestingly, Malone was the second player the Rams had brought in from Bacone in as many years; undrafted rookie defensive tackle Deantre Harlan was in camp with the team last summer. Malone recorded three tackles through the first three weeks of the preseason, but realistically, he never had much of a chance of cracking the 53-man roster, with guys likeJames Laurinaitis,Alec Ogletree,Akeem Ayers,Jo-Lonn Dunbar, andDaren Batesalready locked into jobs and more high-profile players such asMarshall McFaddenand Bryce Hager competing for spots.
Next: Rams Make 12 Roster Moves as Cutdown Approaches
Add us as a preferred source onGoogleLoading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations