Roster cuts loom for Rams - Examiner.com

After the St. Louis Rams play the Dallas Cowboys tonight, both teams will have to make some difficult decisions by Monday afternoon.

NFL teams must cut their rosters from 90 players to 75 by Monday at 3 p.m. Central time.

“It’s not easy at all, but I have a conversation with each and every player,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said Thursday about making cuts. “I’ve always done it that way.”

Prior to the 2011 season, teams could invite 80 players to training camp. The NFL lockout and subsequently abbreviated camps, teams were allowed to bring in 10 more players last season. When an accord was reached for a new collective bargaining agreement, that 90-man limit was part of the new deal.

While the coach has to break the news, the cuts are also difficult on the remaining players.

“It’s tough on everyone because over a month’s time, you get a chance to be around someone for quite some time, share stories, find likeness and the reality of this business is that we won’t all be together come September 9,” said three-time Pro Bowl running back Steven Jackson. “That’s how you form friendships around the league. You wish everyone the best and everyone’s trying to make a living and you hope that they can have a long, prosperous career.”

Location: St. Louis, Missouri

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Teams begin the regular season with 53 players. The deadline to release the remaining 22 players is Friday by 8 p.m. Central. The Rams play their final preseason game Thursday night against Baltimore at the Edward Jones Dome.

“It’s hard,” quarterback Sam Bradford said. “Obviously, there’s a lot of guys this year â€" even more so now that we can bring 90 into camp â€" that aren’t going to be here when we go into Detroit. It’s tough. It’s part of the business, though. I think I’ve kind of learned to accept it. I’m just excited for everyone who’s going to be here and who’s going to be a part of this team and this year.”

A day after the final cuts are made, teams can add eight more players for the practice squad.

In terms of football talent, Monday’s cuts will be easier to make than Friday’s. Undrafted rookie defensive end Jamaar Jarrett hasn’t practiced much this summer. Jarrett will likely be among the 15 players waived on Monday. Other players who could be released next week are wide receivers Nick Johnson, Mike Campbell and Charles Gilbert, defensive back Quinton Pointer, running backs Nick Schwieger and Calvin Middleton, long snapper Travis Tripucka, linebackers Noah Keller and Alex Hoffman-Ellis, offensive tackles Joe Long and Jose Valdez, defensive end Scott Smith, and defensive tackles John Gill and Trevor Laws. Tight end Brody Eldridge, cornerback Kendric Burney, wide receivers Danario Alexander and Brandyn Harvey, place kicker Garrett Lindholm and fullback Ben Guidugli are also likely to be cut next week.

Laws, a veteran free-agent pickup from Philadelphia, hasn’t practiced all summer. Eldridge, who played the last three seasons in Indianapolis, is facing a four-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. Alexander has a lot of talent, but has practiced just twice this summer because of an ailing hamstring.

“There's still some tough calls," offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said. “We know we've got a good core group of guys. We’re still waiting for some guys to separate themselves, then you start playing the numbers game.”