The Los Angeles Rams currently have 87 players on their offseason roster, inching closer to the 90-player limit allowed for Organized Team Activities (OTAs), training camp, and the preseason period. However, that number won’t hold for long. Once the regular season approaches, NFL rules require teams to cut down their rosters to 53 active players. For the Rams, this means that 37 players—over a third of the current roster—will be released before Week 1 kicks off.
While many of these cuts are expected to involve fringe players and undrafted rookies, it’s important to remember that veterans are not immune to the roster squeeze. For general manager Les Snead, trimming the bottom third of the roster has never been just about developing youth; he’s shown a willingness to bring in veterans for depth and insurance. One such player currently in that vulnerable category is a beloved wide receiver.
He was originally a fifth-round pick by the Detroit Lions in the 2020 NFL Draft and had a promising start to his professional career. During his rookie season, he caught 20 passes for 349 yards and two touchdowns while playing alongside quarterback Matthew Stafford, who now leads the Rams. Unfortunately, that debut turned out to be the peak of his NFL production. Injuries and depth chart battles kept him from building on that initial success.
In September 2024, the Rams signed Quintez Cephus to their practice squad, though he didn’t see any playing time during the season. Nonetheless, the team offered him a reserve/future contract to bring him back for the 2025 campaign, providing another opportunity to earn a roster spot. But whether he can capitalize on it is uncertain—and as things currently stand, the odds are not in his favor.
Cephus was a standout during his college days at the University of Wisconsin. He posted 501 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 2017, missed the 2018 season due to legal issues (from which he was ultimately cleared), and returned with a vengeance in 2019, racking up 901 yards and seven touchdowns. A multi-sport athlete, Cephus once turned down a college basketball scholarship to pursue football full time. His 6-foot-1, 208-pound frame and strong hands made him a reliable possession receiver in college, even if he lacked elite speed—his 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine was a sluggish 4.73 seconds.
His skillset allowed him to create separation in specific alignments, such as motion or bunch formations, and he’s capable of making acrobatic, one-handed catches. But his limitations in speed and explosiveness have grown more noticeable at the pro level—especially in an evolving Rams offense that’s trending toward speed, versatility, and downfield playmaking.
Cephus’ uphill climb became even steeper when the Rams selected rookie wide receiver Konata Mumpfield in the 2025 NFL Draft. That move likely pushed Cephus further down the depth chart. With projected starters Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, and Tutu Atwell locked into key roles, the battle for backup and rotational spots is fierce. Players like Jordan Whittington, Xavier Smith, and Mumpfield have shown more dynamism. Even Britain Covey, a return specialist, could bring more versatility to the table, possibly pushing Smith out of the special teams role entirely.
For Cephus, the writing may already be on the wall. Had the Rams chosen to keep the same mold of receiver they once favored—like Cooper Kupp, Demarcus Robinson, and Tyler Johnson, all of whom have moved on—Cephus might have fit the plan. But the team’s offensive vision for 2025 is shifting toward more speed, explosiveness, and multi-dimensional playmakers. And that’s not Cephus’ profile.
Ultimately, while Cephus’ past achievements and unique skill set once aligned with the Rams’ needs, the current trajectory of the franchise leaves little room for what he offers. Unless something drastic changes in training camp, he appears to be on the outside looking in. The Rams are moving in a new direction—one where the former Wisconsin standout may no longer have a place.
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