The Los Angeles Rams are shaking things up on their roster, and it’s all about special teams right now. Wednesday brought official word that they signed edge defender Garrett Nelson and cornerback Damarion “Pepe” Williams to their practice squad, plus kicker Blake Grupe to the main roster. To make space, the Rams jettisoned edge Jamie Sheriff and kicker Harrison Mevis. While bringing in a new place kicker was totally expected, these Nelson and Williams signings are a pretty big surprise, man. It might just be the usual practice squad shuffle, but you gotta wonder if the Rams really think these “unknowns” are gonna be more than just bodies filling a spot.
Who Are These Dudes? Digging Into the Practice Squad Surprises
Let’s talk about Garrett Nelson first, because this dude’s had a journey. He’s 26, 6’3″, 248 lbs, and hasn’t logged a single snap in NFL regular season play. He’s been with five different teams for cup-of-coffee stints and even spent two seasons in the UFL with the San Antonio Brahmas. What’s he bring? He’s an “effort-based” edge defender, a high school wrestling champ who knows how to use leverage and has that “hair on fire” play style. We’re talking a linear player, not some twitchy, agile guy. He’s way better at stopping the run than rushing the passer, with good get-off and hustle.
His career path is wild: Undrafted by the Dolphins in 2023, then cut. Quick stop on the Bengals practice squad for three weeks, then out. 2025 saw him bounce from Broncos training camp to Saints practice squad, then back to the Broncos PS. And 2026? He signed a reserve/futures deal with Denver in January, got cut in May, and get this: **the Seattle Seahawks brought him in, only to release him a day later!** Seriously, a day. Then the Saints claimed him off waivers for a second go-round, cut him again in August, and he was a street free agent until the Rams picked him up this week. This guy’s seen more rosters than a general manager. In college at Nebraska, he started 32 straight games, putting up 167 tackles, 26 for loss, and 12 sacks.
Then there’s Damarion “Pepe” Williams. Honestly, the dude’s a complete unknown to Rams fans, according to the source. No real details on his background, just that he’s a corner signed to the practice squad. It’s a true mystery box signing.
Blake Grupe Steps In For the Rams
On the flip side, the addition of kicker Blake Grupe to the main roster was totally on the radar. He’s replacing Harrison Mevis, so that part of the special teams shake-up wasn’t a shocker at all. And the jettisoning of edge Jamie Sheriff to make room for another special teams guy just reinforces where the Rams’ heads are at. It’s clear they’re trying to inject some new blood into that unit, even if it means rolling the dice on players like Nelson and Williams.
So what’s next for the Rams? Will these guys, especially Nelson with his “hair on fire” style, actually contribute beyond just practice reps? The pressure’s on for these new additions to prove they’re more than just lower-tier fill-ins. It’ll be interesting to see if any of these moves actually pay off for L.A.’s special teams going forward.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Turf Show Times.
Leave a Reply