The Los Angeles Rams are getting ready to defend their Super Bowl championship and the latest roster moves include two cuts. On Wednesday, the team waived defensive back Antoine Brooks Jr. and running back Javian Hawkins.
Brooks, who played for Maryland in college, was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. After splitting time between their active roster and practice squad in 2020, he signed with the Rams practice squad in September. Brooks was promoted to the active roster in November and played in eight games, garnering 139 special teams snaps and three tackles. He returned to the practice squad in late January as the Rams prepared for their Super Bowl victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Hawkins, an undrafted free agent out of Louisville, initially signed with the Atlanta Falcons last May and also briefly spent time with the Tennessee Titans before signing with the Rams practice squad in September. He did not see any action on the field during the 2021-2022 season.
The Rams picked up eight new players in the 2022 NFL Draft and likely needed to make some room for them as well as their contracts.
We’ll see if either player is able to catch on with another team’s practice squad and get another chance at making an NFL roster during the preseason.
[PFT]
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.