Kyren Williams

Rams Make Adjustments To Original PUP Assignments

July 24th, 2022 at 7:40pm CST by Ben Levine

JULY 24: After originally announcing some PUP moves on their website Friday night, the Rams have made a couple of adjustments to the list before it becomes final on Tuesday.

Head coach Sean McVay informed reporters that the team “decided to pivot and not place (cornerback) Jalen Ramsey on the PUP list,” according to ESPN’s Sarah Barshop. McVay conveyed that the team doctors had been able to clear Ramsey to participate in “above the neck” drills in camp. Ramsey would not have been allowed to work in such drills if he were placed on PUP.

Linebacker Travin Howard is also not going to be placed on the PUP list, but, unfortunately, will still be placed on the team’s non-football injury list, according to Josh Alper of NBC Sports. The change in placement is due to the disclosure of information that Howard’s injury occurred in workouts leading up to camp. Howard will see a core muscle specialist in Philadelphia this week for surgery with hopes of being ready by the start of the regular season.

Lastly, the Rams added one more player to the PUP list in addition to Lake and Williams (who were originally reported below). Wide receiver Warren Jackson will join the two as physically unable to perform, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network.

JULY 23: The Rams have placed four players on the physically unable to perform list. According to the team’s website, defensive back Jalen Ramsey, linebacker Travin Howard, safety Quentin Lake, and running back Kyren Williams were all placed on PUP.

Ramsey played all of last season with tears in both shoulders, leading to an offseason operation. It’s only been a month since the defensive back decided to go under the knife, so he was always expected to be limited for the early parts of training camp. As head coach Sean McVay told reporters, the team is mostly focused on having Ramsey on the field for the start of the regular season.

“The thing with Jalen is, you want to see what the timetable is, because there are some parameters where you lose the ability to do certain things you might want to, but that’s definitely going to be a topic [Vice President, Sports Medicine and Performance Reggie Scott and I] will discuss this afternoon,” McVay said (via the team’s website). “But he’s doing good. He’s been attacking the rehab the right way. He’s feeling good. When we did do that surgery on him, obviously most importantly was how he felt about it, but then with the goal in mind of, alright, attack the rehab the right way, and most importantly, be ready for Sept. 8, ready to go. So we’ll be smart about that progress for him.”

Ramsey had another incredible season in 2021, culminating in him earning a Super Bowl ring. He finished the regular season with 77 tackles, 16 passes defended, and four interceptions in 16 games, with Pro Football Focus grading him as the top CB in the NFL. The performance also earned him his fifth Pro Bowl nod and third first-team All-Pro recognition. Ramsey started each of the Rams four playoff contests, collecting another 13 tackles.

Howard, who has mostly played a special teams role since joining the Rams, pulled his groin was training on his own. Williams, a rookie fifth-round pick, is still recovering from a broken foot suffered during offseason programs, but he’s expected to return to the field before the end of training camp. It’s uncertain what injury Lake is dealing with. The UCLA product was a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft.

Latest On Cam Akers, Rams Offense

July 14th, 2022 at 8:47pm CST by Ben Levine

Cam Akers was clearly limited when he returned from a full Achilles tear to join the Rams for their Super Bowl run. Following a rookie campaign where he collected 748 yards from scrimmage on 156 touches (4.8 yards per touch), Akers was limited to 248 yards from scrimmage on 75 postseason touches (3.3 yards per touch). Fortunately, the running back told Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic that he’s 100 percent healthy heading into training camp, and he’s focused on maintaining his health throughout the upcoming season.

“(I’m) focusing on building my armor up as strong as it can be, but really locking in on the mental side, as well,” Akers said during spring practices.

New Rams running backs coach Ra’Shaad Samples might not necessarily have the luxury of easing Akers back into action. As Rodrigue writes, fellow RB Darrell Henderson is recovering from his own surgery and has missed games in each of his three NFL seasons. Plus, rookie fifth-round RB Kyren Williams suffered a foot injury during OTAs that required surgery and could miss a chunk of training camp. Otherwise, the team will be relying on inexperienced options like Jake Funk, Raymond Calais, and Xavier Jones.

Elsewhere on offense, we may see the Rams sign another QB for the preseason. Rodrigue cites sources who believed the Rams would add a UDFA to serve as a fourth quarterback for training camp. The organization still hasn’t added anyone to the trio of Matthew Stafford, John Wolford, and Bryce Perkins, and Rodrigue opines that the grouping is probably locked in. As a result, the Rams can’t offer much to a free agent QB besides some preseason opportunities, but they’ll likely find someone to fill that role before the start of camp.

Finally, the Rams offensive line will see some changes next season, and that includes right guard after Austin Corbett left for Carolina. To replace the former RG, the coaching staff will have three players compete for the open starting gig, per Rodrigue: Logan Bruss, Coleman Shelton, and Tremayne Anchrum.

Rams Dealing With RB Injuries

June 7th, 2022 at 8:39pm CST by Ben Levine

The Rams are dealing with some injuries to their running backs corps. Head coach Sean McVay told reporters that running back Kyren Williams broke his foot and had surgery (via Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic on Twitter). Fortunately, it sounds like Williams will only miss the first few sessions of training camp, but it’s still a tough break for the rookie.

Meanwhile, Darrell Henderson isn’t participating in on-field work as he deals with a “soft-tissue injury.” As Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com writes, Henderson initially aggregated the injury during May OTAs. At the time, McVay indicated that Henderson dealt with the same ailment in 2021, but the RB still managed to appear in 12 games (although he was limited on only a single playoff contest).

While Henderson found himself in and out of the lineup in 2021, he still managed to finish with a career-high 864 yards from scrimmage. Williams was selected in the fifth-round of this year’s draft following a standout career at Notre Dame that saw him collect 31 touchdowns between the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

It’s obviously too early for the Rams to worry about their injury situation, but the team’s depth at RB will certainly be stressed for the time being. The team still has Cam Akers, who led the RB grouping during the Rams’ Super Bowl run, but they lack experienced depth behind him (Henderson and Williams were likely to slot in as the second and third RBs, respectively). As a result, the likes of Jake Funk, Xavier Jones, and Raymond Calais will see increased reps over the next few week, and the current absences could help one of the three snag a final roster spot.

Rams Sign 8-Man 2022 Draft Class

June 6th, 2022 at 7:24pm CST by Ely Allen

Likely overshadowed by the massive news of star defensive tackle Aaron Donald‘s raise and guaranteed return in 2022, the Rams were able to sign all eight of their selections from the 2022 NFL Draft today.

The only rookie with any expectations of starting, Logan Bruss out of Wisconsin, was their first pick in the draft, despite not hearing his name called until the third round. After the retirement of tackle Andrew Whitworth and guard Austin Corbett‘s departure to the Panthers is free agency, Los Angeles needed to address its offensive line. Veteran tackle Joseph Noteboom is expected to slide in a left tackle for Whitworth, but Bruss will compete with Bobby Evans and Tremayne Anchrum for the the right guard starting job left vacant by Corbett. The Rams ended their draft addressing the offensive line, as well, selecting Michigan State tackle AJ Arcuri with one of their three seventh-round picks.

Los Angeles made several additions to its secondary, as well, through the draft. Cornerbacks Darious Williams and Donte Deayon hit the free agent market, but the Rams were able to bring back Troy Hill via trade after a one-year vacation in Cleveland this offseason. They may not be expected to start right away, but South Carolina State’s Decobie Durant and Georgia’s Derion Kendrick will add some depth to help make up for the free agency losses. With Nick Scott, Jordan Fuller, Taylor Rapp, and Terrell Burgess all returning at safety, UCLA’s Quentin Lake and Kansas State’s Russ Yeast will try to unseat them and each other in order to earn a roster spot at the end of camps.

The Rams lost Sony Michel to the Dolphins this offseason but bring back running backs Cam Akers, who returned from a preseason tear of his Achilles tendon in the last week of the regular season last year, and Darrell Henderson. Los Angeles selected Notre Dame running back Kyren Williams in the fifth round not only for his prowess as a runner but because he showed a talent in college for receiving the ball, as well, a skill that has been missing from the Rams’ backfield since the days of prime Todd Gurley.

Lastly, if Daniel Hardy, an outside linebacker from Montana State, can nab a roster spot, he’ll serve as a depth piece in a stacked linebacker room that houses Bobby Wagner, Leonard Floyd, Ernest Jones, Justin Hollins, Terrell Lewis, and others.

Here are the draft picks the Rams will take into camps with them this summer:

Round 3: No. 104 Logan Bruss, G (Wisconsin) (signed)
Round 4: No. 142 Decobie Durant, CB (South Carolina State) (signed)
Round 5: No. 164 Kyren Williams, RB (Notre Dame) (signed)
Round 6: No. 211 Quentin Lake, S (UCLA) (signed)
Round 6: No. 212 Derion Kendrick, CB (Georgia) (signed)
Round 7: No. 235 Daniel Hardy, OLB (Montana State) (signed)
Round 7: No. 253 Russ Yeast, S (Kansas State) (signed)
Round 7: No. 261 AJ Arcuri, OT (Michigan State) (signed)

Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton To Enter NFL Draft

December 10th, 2021 at 12:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Kyle Hamilton is going pro. On Friday, the Notre Dame safety confirmed that he will forgo the rest of his eligibility to enter the 2022 NFL Draft.

Hamilton, long been pegged as a potential Top 10 pick, will also skip the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma State in order to protect his pro career. The 6’4″ safety has been lauded for his range, versatility, and advanced football IQ. Even scouts who have kept a watchful eye on him tend to forget that he’s still only 20 years of age and won’t turn 21 until March.

Hamilton posted 34 tackles, three interceptions, and four passes defensed in just seven games. He should impress even more at the combine when he displays his reported 40-inch vertical leap.

Along with Hamilton, Notre Dame will also lose running back Kyren Williams to the draft. Williams impressed with over 1,000 rushing yards this season and 4.9 yards-per-carry on average. He also added 42 grabs for 359 yards and three receiving TDs for good measure.