Ben Skowronek suddenly left the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday; following initial reports that they intended to cut him, they decided to trade him to the Houston Texans. The Rams decided to move Skowronek immediately rather than waiting until later this summer because they didn’t see him contributing in 2024, despite the fact that he was a captain of the special teams team and an essential member of the squad last season.

Skowronek was merely the team’s fourth or fifth wide receiver, although his departure does provide some additional room for the team’s other wide receivers. The most advantageous player from this trade is rookie Jordan Whittington, who now has a strong possibility of being the fourth or fifth receiver after Demarcus Robinson, Cooper Kupp, and Puka Nacua.

Whittington will be able to get on the field more quickly because he is a willing blocker and can play any wide receiver position on offense. He can line up outside and catch fades along the sideline, or he can be a lead blocker on running plays when he comes across the formation and takes on the nickel defender.

Skowronek’s absence could potentially be advantageous for Tyler Johnson and Xavier Smith. After bringing in Smith as an undrafted rookie in 2023, the Rams kept him on staff and re-signed Johnson this offseason. Smith’s return man ability and special teams potential will only increase the likelihood that he makes the squad.

Three undrafted free agents, Drake Stoops, J.J. Laap, and Sam Wiglusz, may challenge for a roster place if we dig even deeper down the depth chart. With Skowronek taking up a position on offense and special teams, it was difficult to envision any of them making the squad, but now that they have one less opponent, their prospects of making the squad have grown.

Here is a possible current version of the depth chart.

There’s a long way to go until final roster cuts, but that’s a tentative projection of how things might stand at wide receiver as of now.