The Los Angeles Rams are entering the final stage of their preseason roster construction, but getting to the initial 53-man roster will only be part of the process. Once the Rams make their final cuts Sunday, attention will quickly shift toward building the practice squad and then beginning their quest for a World Championship as the current favorites (+550) according to FanDuel.
NFL teams must reduce their active rosters to 53 players by 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 30. That deadline will create a large pool of players who are released, and the Rams will have an opportunity to bring some of those players back into the organization as practice squad members.
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The Rams can carry 16 players on their practice squad during the 2026 season. There is also an exception that allows a team to carry a 17th player if that player qualifies through the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program.
That means there could be several familiar faces from training camp who ultimately return to the Rams after initially being released. However, the team cannot simply immediately re-sign every player it cuts. Players who are subject to waivers must first pass through the league’s waiver process before they can return to the practice squad.
For the Rams, the key window begins after Sunday’s 6 p.m. ET deadline. Waiver claims from the final roster reduction are due Monday, August 31, at 1 p.m. ET, with teams then able to assemble their practice squads after the waiver results are processed.
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That makes the next 24 hours particularly important for general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay. Some players who narrowly miss the 53-man roster could become practice squad priorities, while others could attract interest from teams around the league.
The Rams’ practice squad tracker will remain intentionally blank for now. As players clear waivers and the team begins announcing signings, those additions can be added to the list.
[No players signed to Practice Squad]
For now, the important numbers are 53 players on the active roster, 16 practice squad spots, and potentially 17 with a qualifying International Player Pathway player.
The regular season roster is almost finalized, but the Rams’ roster-building work is far from finished.
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