Has prized undrafted free agent signing already locked up a roster spot for the Los Angeles Rams?
Have the Los Angeles Rams already found another contributor out of undrafted free agency?
The Los Angeles Rams have been one of the best teams in the NFL at finding value in undrafted free agents, oftentimes striking gold and turning a UDFA into a viable starter or contributor.
At the end of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Rams signed a veritable haul of undrafted players, but one made an immediate impression as soon as he was signed.
Has Shaun Dolac locked up a roster spot?
The Buffalo linebacker built out a tremendous collegiate career playing for the Bulls. The first consensus All-American in Buffalo history, Dolac led the country with 168 tackles and was the MAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2024.
Additionally, Dolac also led the MAC in interceptions this season, a rare feat for a linebacker. However, he was fairly undersized at just 6’0, 220 pounds.
That didn’t matter to the Rams, who immediately fell for Dolac’s high-energy play style and production.
So far, they’ve seemingly made the right call, as Dolac has been a standout performer throughout the offseason. Dolac leads the team in tackles and is second in total defensive stops in the preseason, and he has also been a standout special teamer for Los Angeles so far as well.
His strong offseason earned him a surprising role this week in practice. In a released practice video, it appears that Dolac (#56) was taking snaps with the first-team defense.
Now, the Rams, like many teams, do rotate players in practice frequently, so it is entirely possible that Dolac just happened to have come in on a viral moment.
However, it’s worth noting that the Rams don’t have a proven answer at linebacker just yet, especially for a long-term starter. They’ve been rather cavalier at the position over the last decade or so, so this isn’t a total surprise. Dolac’s emergence, and incredibly cheap value, could be an answer for the team to find a long-term contributor.
Whether or not he makes the 53-man roster will be determined by how many linebackers the Rams end up keeping. Omar Speights, Nate Landman, Troy Reeder, and Pooh Paul are likely all locks for the team, leaving Dolac competing for a potential LB5 spot, which is already heavier than the Rams typically aim for at linebacker.
However, it will likely be difficult to sneak Dolac onto the practice squad, given the dearth of linebacker talent and special teams ability across the league. The Rams might not have a choice but to keep him on the 53 if they want to keep him around.
Given his ability on the field and the unique roster situation around him, I’d feel comfortable saying that Dolac is a virtual lock to make the Rams’ roster when roster cuts occur.
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