Youth movement at CB behind starters

Even though the Rams don’t often extend their own homegrown defensive backs, cornerback is a position they value greatly. They acquired Jalen Ramsey in 2019, they brought back Troy Hill this year, they drafted Robert Rochell, Decobie Durant and Derion Kendrick in the last two years and also added David Long Jr. in 2019.

The result is a collection of both youth and experience, with the latter leading the way atop the depth chart. The younger guys will need to step up because the Rams only have two locked-in starters.

Here’s a preview of the cornerback group as training camp is set to get underway.

Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive line
Defensive line
Outside linebackers
Inside linebackers

Roster locks

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Jalen Ramsey
Troy Hill
Robert Rochell
Decobie Durant
David Long Jr.

I truly don’t see any of these players getting cut before the season begins. Ramsey and Hill should be the two starters at cornerback when the Rams are in their base 3-4 defense, with a third cornerback rotating in for nickel packages.

Who that third cornerback will be is still TBD, but Rochell, Durant and Long are all in contention. Rochell is primarily an outside cornerback, Durant is likely to play mostly in the slot, and Long can play both spots.

Likely to make it

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Derion Kendrick

Kendrick was a sixth-round pick, which puts him in a position between roster lock and on the bubble. Teams have certainly cut sixth-round rookies before, and just last year, the Rams cut Earnest Brown IV as a fifth-round rookie.

I think Kendrick has a great chance to make the team and be the fifth or sixth cornerback, as well as a special teams contributor, but he’s not a lock the same way Durant (a fourth-rounder) is.

On the bubble

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Grant Haley
Tyler Hall
Caesar Dancy-Williams
T.J. Carter
Duron Lowe

There’s a lot of unproven talent in this group. Hall is the most experienced, while Haley is the only other non-rookie among this collection of players. Dancy-Williams, Carter and Lowe all went undrafted this year and were signed by the Rams as free agents.

It’ll take a standout performance in training camp and the preseason for any of these players to make the 53-man roster, given the talent ahead of them.

Battle to watch: Rochell vs. Long…