Rams Activate Von Miller
The Rams have activated Von Miller from the COVID-19 list, per a club announcement. Ditto for running back Jake Funk and linebackers Travin Howard and Christian Rozeboom.
[RELATED: Chiefs Place Hill On COVID-19 List]
Miller is now eligible to play tonight against the Seahawks, but the Rams will still be playing without several key starters. Right tackle Rob Havenstein, tight end Tyler Higbee, and strong safety Jordan Fuller were not able to test out of protocol, so they’ll be watching from a distance.
Miller, 32, has 110.5 sacks to his credit, more than any other active player in the NFL. He’s still on the hunt for his first Rams sack, though he did notch 4.5 sacks for the Broncos earlier this year. Sacks aside, Miller is still giving quarterbacks fits. As of this writing, Pro Football Focus has Miller ranked as the ninth-best edge defender in the NFL with an 86.6 overall score. That’s just a tick below his finest work in Denver and well ahead of his 2019 showing, a career-low 79.3 mark.
At 9-4, the Rams can more or less clinch their playoff spot with a W over the Seahawks. A win would also bring them one step closer to capturing the NFC West.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/21/21
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: LB Joe Walker
- Released: TE David Wells
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: S Shawn Williams
- Released: CB Will Sunderland
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: K Lirim Hajrullahu
- Claimed: DE Azur Kamara (from Cowboys)
- Released from IR: T Matt Kaskey
- Placed on IR: DB A.J. Bouye
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: CB Thomas Graham
- Released: LB Ledarius Mack
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: LB Keandre Jones
- Placed on IR: LB Joe Bachie
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: DE Porter Gustin
- Released: TE Nick Guggemos, WR Alexander Hollins
- Placed on IR: Takkarist McKinley (story)
Denver Broncos
- Released: WR De’Mornay Pierson-El, LB Pita Taumoepenu, T Casey Tucker, RB Kerrith Whyte, RB Damarea Crockett
- Placed on IR: FB Andrew Beck
Detroit Lions
- Released: CB Shakur Brown
Houston Texans
- Signed: DE Ron’Dell Carter
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on IR: RB, Carlos Hyde, S Rayshawn Jenkins (story)
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: DB Grant Haley, DB Damarious Randall
- Released: CB Delrick Abrams, T Adrian Ealy, TE Kyle Markway, C Austin Reiter
- Activated from IR: RB Jake Funk, LB Travin Howard
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: G Dakota Dozier
- Released: RB A.J. Rose, WR Darrius Shepherd
New York Giants
- Released: Jake Hausmann
New York Jets
- Claimed: DB Will Parks (from Dolphins)
- Placed on IR: TE Ryan Griffin
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from IR: G Jack Anderson
San Francisco 49ers
- LB Tyrell Adams
Seattle Seahawk
- Promoted: DT Myles Adams, RB Josh Johnson, DB Josh Jones, WR Cody Thompson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on IR: WR Chris Godwin, DE Pat O’Connor
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: RB Alex Armah, LB De’Jon Harris, QB Kyle Shurmur, T David Steinmetz
- Placed on IR: RB J.D. McKissic
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/2/21
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: LB Daren Bates, LB James Vaughters
- Waived: LB Dorian Etheridge
Baltimore Ravens
- Released via injury settlement: T Andre Smith
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: FB Johnny Stanton
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on IR: LB Jabril Cox (story)
- Waived: DE Bradlee Anae
Detroit Lions
- Designated for return: T Taylor Decker, DL Devin Strong
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: LS Steven Wirtel
- Waived: LS Hunter Bradley
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed off Chiefs’ practice squad: LB Christian Rozeboom
- Placed on IR: WR Tutu Atwell (story), LB Travin Howard
- Waived: LB Jonah Williams
New York Jets
- Designated to return: LB Hamsah Nasirildeen
- Promoted: S Jarrod Wilson
- Waived: LB Noah Dawkins
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: LB Taco Charlton
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: LB Tyrell Adams, K Joey Slye
Washington Football Team
- Designated for return: TE Logan Thomas
- Waived: TE Jace Sternberger
Rams Make Roster Cuts
The Rams are one-upping everyone else, making a slew of roster cuts to get down to *52* players, as Adam Schefter passes along on Twitter. Presumably they’re planning on making another move imminently and not starting the year with one less player than everyone else.
Los Angeles had already made a bunch of cuts, so it’s a smaller group getting the axe now:
- DT Marquise Copeland
- DB Donte Deayon
- DT Michael Hoecht
- LB Clay Johnston
- LB Natrez Patrick
- QB Bryce Perkins
- LB Christian Rozeboom
- DE Jonah Williams
- LB Justin Lawler (waived/injured)
- LB Travin Howard (added to injured reserve)
- DT A’Shawn Robinson (added to NFI list)
Deayon and Johnston have both been featured prominently on HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’ during camp, so there will surely be some fans bummed about those cuts. Both are good bets to be back on the practice squad since Johnston was a draft pick and Deayon was on the active roster at times last year.
Perkins had plenty of electrifying moments as Virginia’s quarterback, but the UDFA apparently wasn’t ready to make it as an NFL passer. Howard and Robinson aren’t getting cut but are rather being put on IR and the non-football injury list respectively. Howard, who was supposed to play a big role on defense, will be out for the season while Robinson will have to miss at least the first six games.
Rams’ Travin Howard Done For Year
Travin Howard will miss the 2020 season with a torn meniscus, as Jordan Rodrigue of The Athletic tweets. The Rams will make it official this week by placing the linebacker on injured reserve. 
[RELATED: Rams, Ramsey Not Close On Extension]
Howard, a 2018 seventh-round pick, spent the early part of his career as a practice squad and special teams player. In 2019, he made the most of his opportunity and closed strong with 13 tackles and three pass breakups over the final five weeks of the season. This summer, he was in the midst of an impressive camp and potentially in the conversation to start. Now, he’ll have to wait until 2021 to potentially take his next big leap forward.
Even before the injury, the Rams were concerned about their lack of depth at inside linebacker. Troy Reeder – who is hardly a household name – leads the team’s ILBs in career starts with eight. Former Raven Kenny Young stands as the only other ILB on the roster with starting experience.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 2/6/19
Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2019 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:
Los Angeles Rams
- DB Donte Deayon
- LB Travin Howard
- T Kyle Murphy
- WR Austin Proehl
New England Patriots
- OL Cole Croston
- OL Jake Eldrenkamp
- QB Danny Etling
- DL Trent Harris
- DL Frank Herron
- DB A.J. Howard
- OL Ryker Matthews
- LB Calvin Munson
- DL David Parry
- WR Damoun Patterson
- OL Dan Skipper
New Orleans Saints
- RB Martez Carter
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/18/18
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: OL Kyle Friend
- Released: OL Will House
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Jermaine Grace
- Released: LB Richie Brown
Houston Texans
- Released: DB Robert Jackson
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: G Zack Golditch
- Released: G Sean Harlow
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: OL Brandon Thomas
- Released: OL Michael Dunn
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: LB Travin Howard
- Released: DB Linden Stephens
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: DL DeShawn Williams
New York Giants
- Released: WR Kalif Raymond
New York Jets
- Signed: RB De’Angelo Henderson
- Placed on injured list: LB Harvey Langi
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released: LB Kyle Wilson
Rams Announce Roster Cuts
The Rams have become the latest team to trim their roster to 53 by making the following transactions:
Waived:
- DB Dominique Hatfield
- TE Temarrick Hemingway
- WR Khadarel Hodge
- TE Henry Krieger-Coble
- WR Steven Mitchell
- DB Steven Parker
- QB Luis Perez
- LB Ejuan Price
- DB Ramon Richards
- RB Larry Rose
Waived/injured:
Placed on PUP:
Rams Sign Entire Draft Class
As they seemingly do every year, the Rams have officially signed all of their draft picks on one day. Kristen Lago of TheRams.com reports that the organization inked all 11 rookies to their contracts yesterday. The list of players includes:
- 3-89: Joseph Noteboom, OT (TCU)
- 4-111: Brian Allen, C (Michigan St.)
- 4-135: John Franklin-Myers, DE (S.F. Austin)
- 5-147: Micah Kiser, ILB (Virginia)
- 5-160: Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, OLB/DE (Oklahoma)
- 6-176: John Kelly, RB (Tennessee)
- 6-192: Jamil Demby, OT (Maine)
- 6-195: Sebastian Joseph, DT (Rutgers)
- 6-205: Trevon Young, DE (Louisville)
- 7-231: Travin Howard, OLB (TCU)
- 7-244: Justin Lawler, DE (SMU)
The Rams didn’t have picks in the first two rounds due to trades for wideouts. They were without a first-rounder due to the Brandin Cooks trade with the Patriots, and their second-rounder was used in the Sammy Watkins deal.
The trio of rookie linemen (Noteboom, Allen, and Demby) could end up seeing some playing time should anything happen to the Rams’ starters. The three players are ultimately competing with Cornelius Lucas, Austin Blythe, Aaron Neary, and Jake Eldrenkamp for backup reps.
Okoronkwo could see some time at outside linebacker if projected starters Matt Longacre or Samson Ebukam need to be replaced. The Oklahoma product is competing with Ejuan Price and Trevon Young for playing time.