WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – After Omar Speights signed with the Rams as an undrafted free agent earlier this offseason, he and his mom, Patricia Reichner, would have several different conversations about controlling what he could control.
One of them came the day before the Rams' preseason finale against the Texans. Shortly thereafter, the inside linebacker found out he had made the 53-man roster.
"Just talking about, like, just trusting God, just let him do his work, just focus on my work down here," Speights said. "And literally the next day, I found out I made a team. So it was just a great feeling. I just really felt God's presence with me."
Speights said it was an amazing feeling that was difficult to describe, having dreamed about the opportunity since he first began playing football.
It was an emotional moment for Reichner after Speights texted her the news that he wouldn't be playing in the preseason finale, indicating his spot on the initial 53 was secure.
At a minimum, Speights will have a role on special teams heading into Week 1 against the Lions – head coach Sean McVay said as much after general manager Les Snead on the preseason broadcast said Speights is expected to be among the 48 active players on gameday. McVay also said Speights has the ability to contribute on defense because of his communication, concept recognition and how he defends both the run and the pass.
At the same time, Speights is still a "developing" player, according to McVay. Additionally, McVay said Christian Rozeboom and Troy Reeder are slated to be the team's starting inside linebackers after Ernest Jones IV was traded to the Titans last week.
"I think he's developing," McVay said on Aug. 27. I think all those things that you just mentioned are great traits that you're looking for in linebackers."
