ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Rams cut 11 players Friday, including sixth-round draft pick Ken Shackelford and running back J.D. Washington, the son of actor Denzel Washington.
The cuts left the Rams with 64 players. Teams must have their 53-player rosters set by 5 p.m. CDT Saturday.
Shackelford, an offensive tackle from Georgia, was the 190th player selected in last April's draft.
Washington joined the Rams as an undrafted free agent out of Morehouse College last year and spent the 2006 season on the team's practice squad. He played with the Hamburg Sea Devils in NFL Europa before joining the Rams again in training camp this year. In limited preseason action, Washington rushed for 3 yards on five carries.
Also cut by the Rams Friday was linebacker Jamal Brooks, who had two tackles while playing in seven games last season.
Other players released include cornerback Josh Lay, defensive tackle Tim Sandidge, tight end Mark Anelli, wide receivers Shaine Smith and Fred Gibson, offensive tackle Drew Strojny, kicker Kevin Lovell and safety Andre Kirkland.
Coach Scott Linehan said the team is making the final 22 cuts over a two-day period so he can meet individually with every player.
"It's tough but it's really productive," Linehan said. He uses the talk as a chance to offer encouragement, "but you have to be honest with the player and explain why he didn't make it."
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
