Rams return Alex Bachman after seven-year absence, creating receiver depth in roster reshuffle

The Los Angeles Rams added a familiar face to their receiving group on Tuesday, signing Alex Bachman and making a corresponding roster move by waiving Mario Williams. The transaction is framed as part of the team’s ongoing receiver evaluation during the preseason stretch, with Los Angeles adjusting personnel after injuries and camp performance.

According to the report, Williams, who previously came in as an undrafted receiver, had drawn some attention in practice before suffering a hamstring injury during the Rams’ preseason game on Saturday. The injury was significant enough to prompt the waiver, clearing a roster spot for the next group of looks at the position.

In the move to fill that opening, the Rams brought back Bachman. The report describes Bachman as having “bounced around” the league, with his most recent stop listed as the Las Vegas Raiders. It also characterizes this as a return to Los Angeles after a seven-year absence, positioning him as an experienced option at a time when teams are trying to separate long-term depth from those who are close but not yet secure.

The signing also underscores how quickly the final weeks of training camp can reshape a depth chart. In the preseason, teams routinely turn over the bottom of the roster as players get injured, roles get clarified, and coaching staffs narrow their list heading toward the regular-season cutdown deadline. By pairing a waiver with a new addition, Los Angeles attempted to avoid a net loss of receiver depth after the setback.

For Bachman, the opportunity is straightforward: earn a place either as a reserve target or as a roster-carrying developmental option. The report does not specify whether he is expected to compete for a particular role on offense, but it situates the move in the immediate need for receiver reps and game readiness.

For Williams, the hamstring injury described in the report likely changes the timeline of his path back into the lineup. Waiving an injured player is often a roster necessity, but it also means he will be looking for his next opportunity elsewhere, unless he returns through a separate mechanism that the report does not detail.

What to watch next is how the Rams handle their remaining receiver depth and special-teams contributions, particularly in the next preseason window. In practice and game usage, Los Angeles will be looking for reliable hands, route consistency, and the ability to understand assignments quickly, since the late-camp period tends to determine who can be trusted when the team’s depth chart firms up.