Why the Rams Could Claim DE Curtis Weaver Off Waivers

The Rams have shown interest in defensive end Curtis Weaver once before. But does the intrigue still remain the same?

The NFL has been in a frenzy of roster moves over the last 24 hours and the next two days will be no different. Teams have until Tuesday, Aug. 31 at 1 p.m. PT to trim their rosters down to 53 players. 

Meanwhile, on Sept. 1, teams can claim players who were placed on waivers during the final roster reduction before Wednesday at 1 p.m. PT. 

That means while the Rams are cutting players on their roster, they still have to have eyes on what other teams across the league are doing.

One name that could perhaps catch the attention of general manager Les Snead and coach Sean McVay is defensive end Curtis Weaver. 

Weaver, the former 2020 fifth-round pick of the Miami Dolphins, entered training camp with the Clevland Browns and was waived on Monday.

Dating back to August of 2020, the Rams attempted to claim Weaver but he was scooped up by the Browns as Clevland was ahead of Los Angeles in the pecking order. 

Weaver has yet to get his feet wet in the NFL after two stops along the way. However, as a prospect coming out of Boise State, his draft profile suggests he could thrive as both a pass-rusher and run defender. 

When selected in the 2020 NFL Draft, NFL Network's draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said, "This is a classic case of bad body, good player. He's not going to wow you when you see him on the hook, but what he does have is a nack of getting to the quarterback. Not a real explosive first step but he's got this wiggle and ability to bend once he gets to the very top of his rush. You see the ability to wrap around tackles. He's an outstanding finisher."

In the college ranks, Weaver registered 10 or more sacks in two of his three seasons. Configuring his skill set in stopping the run, Weaver tallied two seasons that included 15 or more tackles for loss. 

His value in the league has considerably fallen, but if the Rams can tap into what was once regarded as a quality college prospect, perhaps they may find additional depth in dipping their toes into the pool of waived players.

The Rams' edge-rushers include some combination of Leonard Floyd, A'Shawn Robinson, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Terrell Lewis and Justin Hollins to name a few, according to the team's unofficial depth chart release. Although, Robinson and Okoronkwo are battling injuries that could hold them out to start the season. Therefore, the move to add pass-rusher help — to at least start the year — could seemingly be a direction the Rams go.

Continue Reading:

• Will Rams GM Les Snead Explore Trades Ahead of Final Roster Cuts?
• Rams Roster Cut Tracker: The Road to 53 Players
• Los Angeles Rams' 53-Man Roster Projection
• Did Corey Bojorquez Win the Punting Job vs. Broncos?
• Broncos 17, Rams 12: Top 5 Observations

Nick Cothrel is the Publisher of Ram Digest. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickCothrel.