Latest On Rams’ Pending Free Agents
If the Rams hope to repeat as Super Bowl champions, they face a number of key decisions in the coming days. They have money still to be shed, but a number of free agents left to re-sign. 
The biggest names amongst said free agents are Von Miller and Odell Beckham Jr. The former made an impact on the Rams’ defense after being traded for mid-season. He registered five sacks in eight regular season games in L.A., adding another four in the playoffs. The 32-year-old earned himself a hefty payday, regardless of where he ends up.
According to Jordan Rodrigue of The Athletic (subscription required), the Rams may be able to keep both in the fold. She writes that the team is “confident” their offer to Miller “will be enough to convince him to stay”. She adds that said proposal is thought to be worth between $14MM and $16MM per year over a span of “perhaps” two years, though that salary figure “doesn’t seem to have a hard ceiling”. The three-time All Pro has expressed an interest in staying, but he also plans to at least test the open market, which could very well include a return to Denver.
As for Beckham, Rodrigue notes that the team is staying flexible with respect to contract offers, though it does seem inevitable he will remain there, as was previously reported. She names center Brian Allen as one more significant pending free agent the Rams could try to find the money to retain.
On the other hand, there are noteworthy players who seemed destined to land deals elsewhere, in no small part as a result of the team’s preference to keep Miller and Beckham. Among those Rodrigue predicts will find new homes is defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day. The 26-year-old played a career-high 69% of snaps this year, notching three sacks. Another is cornerback Darious Williams, whom she reports could land a deal valued at upwards of $10MM per season despite a down year in 2021.
Projected to be more than $20MM over the cap at this point, the Rams clearly have work to do. If all goes according to plan, however, they could still field one of the most talented teams in the NFL next year.
Rams Move Tyler Higbee, Joe Noteboom To IR; Darrell Henderson, Sebastian Joseph-Day Back On Roster
The Rams are on track to see some familiar faces in uniform Sunday. The anticipated activations of Darrell Henderson and Sebastian Joseph-Day took place Friday.
But the NFC champions are now certain to be without Tyler Higbee and backup offensive lineman Joe Noteboom. The Rams placed both on IR to make room for Henderson and Joseph-Day. The sprained MCL Higbee suffered in the NFC championship game prevented him from practicing this week.
While the Bengals are likely to see C.J. Uzomah return to action after his championship-round injury, the Rams will be forced to use backups. Kendall Blanton and second-year cog Brycen Hopkins are the only other active-roster tight ends for Los Angeles. The former made key contributions against the 49ers, catching five passes for 57 yards. This came after Blanton scored a touchdown against the Buccaneers. Higbee’s absence will move Blanton into a key auxiliary role in the passing game.
This would have been Higbee’s second Super Bowl. He played against the Patriots in Super Bowl LIII but did not catch a pass. This season, the Rams turned to Higbee more frequently, having let Gerald Everett walk in free agency. Higbee finished with 61 receptions for 560 yards and five touchdowns this season.
Noteboom has served as Andrew Whitworth‘s backup for the past two seasons. He stepped in for the 40-year-old left tackle starter against the Bucs but did not play in the NFC championship game. A chest injury will wrap Noteboom’s season early. A 2018 third-round pick, Noteboom is set to be a free agent next month. Whitworth returned for the 49ers matchup and will make his Super Bowl debut Sunday.
Henderson also suffered an MCL sprain and has not played since Week 16. While the third-year running back started for most of this season, his role almost certainly will be minimized upon return. Sony Michel had begun to eat into Henderson’s workload late in the season, and Cam Akers has since made his return to action. Still, the Rams will soon have a deep backfield for Super Bowl LVI. It will be the first time Henderson, Akers and Michel will each be available.
Joseph-Day has not played since Week 7, having suffered a chest injury that required surgery. The third-year interior D-lineman has been a Rams starter for most of his career. Prior to going down in October, Joseph-Day had registered a career-high three sacks. This stands to bolster L.A.’s depth up front and present an embattled Bengals offensive line with another challenge.
Darrell Henderson, Sebastian Joseph-Day Likely To Return For Super Bowl?
Two Rams regulars are perhaps ready to re-emerge come Super Bowl Sunday. Sean McVay is optimistic both Darrell Henderson and Sebastian Joseph-Day will suit up against the Bengals.
Joseph-Day has been a Rams starter since his career began, but the third-year defensive lineman has been out since Week 7 because of a chest injury. Joseph-Day underwent surgery in November but returned to practice before the Rams’ divisional-round game.
Henderson, Joseph-Day and cornerback Robert Rochell returned to practice Jan. 21. The trio must be activated from IR by Friday in order to play in Super Bowl LVI.
Joseph-Day tallied a career-high three sacks in his seven-game season. The interior defensive lineman being in uniform Sunday would certainly be a bonus for a Rams team that is largely healthy going into the franchise’s fifth Super Bowl opportunity.
Los Angeles’ starting running back for much of this season, Henderson sustained an MCL sprain in Week 16 against the Vikings. Sony Michel had cut into Henderson’s workload, and Cam Akers made a quicker-than-expected return from his July Achilles tear. Still, the Rams having Henderson available would help their cause. The third-year back averaged a career-high 4.6 yards per carry this season, rushing for 688 yards and five touchdowns in 12 games.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/22/22
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: DB Nick McCloud, DB Josh Thomas
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: DB Blake Countess, S Eric Weddle
- Designated for return: RB Darrell Henderson, DL Sebastian Joseph-Day, DB Robert Rochell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: RB Leonard Fournette (story)
- Promoted: WR John Brown, TE Ryan Griffin
- Released: RB Le’Veon Bell
NFL COVID List Updates: 12/22/21
We’ve compiled a list of players who were placed or activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list today. In some instances (including Christian McCaffrey and Travis Etienne), players activated from the list remain on IR:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on list: P Andy Lee
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on list: LB Chris Board, DT Justin Madubuike, S Geno Stone, LB Kristian Welch
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on list: S Sam Franklin Jr., DE Azur Kamara
- Activated from list: RB Christian McCaffrey
Chicago Bears
- Placed on list: TE Jesper Horsted
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on list: CB Greg Newsome
- Activated from list: TE Austin Hooper, LB Jacob Phillips
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from list: DT Osa Odighizuwa
Denver Broncos
- Activated from list: LB Malik Reed
Detroit Lions
- Activated from list: S Jalen Elliott
Houston Texans
- Placed on list: WR Brandin Cooks (st0ry), LB Tae Davis
- Activated from list: DE DeMarcus Walker
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on list: DE Kemoko Turay, CB Rock Ya-Sin
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on list: RB Travis Etienne
- Activated from list: LB Dylan Moses
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on list: OT Mike Remmers
- Activated from list: LB Willie Gay Jr., WR Josh Gordon
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on list: CB Brandon Facyson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on list: WR Jalen Guyton
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from list: DB Terrell Burgess, G Jamil Demby, T Rob Havenstein, NT Sebastian Joseph, LB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on list: G Robert Jones
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from list: RB Alexander Mattison
New England Patriots
- Activated from list: RB J.J. Taylor
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on list: TE Adam Trautman
New York Jets
- Placed on list: S Ashtyn Davis, DT Jonathan Marshall, TE Kenny Yeboah
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on list: T Le’Raven Clark
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on list: LB Marcus Allen, OT Zach Banner, LB Devin Bush
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on list: TE Will Dissly
- Activated from list: RB Alex Collins
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on list: OL Rodger Saffold
Washington Football Team
- Placed on list: LB Cole Holcomb
- Activated from list: DE William Bradley-King, T Cornelius Lucas
Rams DL Sebastian Joseph-Day To Undergo Chest Surgery
The Rams bolstered their front seven by adding Von Miller to a group that already houses Aaron Donald and Leonard Floyd. But the team will be without one of its role players up front for a while — perhaps the rest of the season.
Sebastian Joseph-Day is now on IR, and the Rams announced the young defensive lineman is set to undergo surgery to repair a pectoral injury. Sean McVay said Joseph-Day aggravated the injury that forced him to miss the Rams’ Week 8 game in Houston.
It is not known if Joseph-Day tore a pectoral muscle, but McVay said it is uncertain if he will play again this year. A torn pec would sideline the third-year D-lineman for the year. Joseph-Day’s surgery will take place in the next few days.
A third-year starter up front with the Rams, Joseph-Day has already hit a sack career-high with three this season. Joseph-Day has started 38 games in his young career. Sunday will mark just his second absence as a pro. The former sixth-round pick’s 48% run-stop rate ranks second among defensive tackles, per ESPN.
Rams Sign Entire Draft Class
As they seemingly do every year, the Rams have officially signed all of their draft picks on one day. Kristen Lago of TheRams.com reports that the organization inked all 11 rookies to their contracts yesterday. The list of players includes:
- 3-89: Joseph Noteboom, OT (TCU)
- 4-111: Brian Allen, C (Michigan St.)
- 4-135: John Franklin-Myers, DE (S.F. Austin)
- 5-147: Micah Kiser, ILB (Virginia)
- 5-160: Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, OLB/DE (Oklahoma)
- 6-176: John Kelly, RB (Tennessee)
- 6-192: Jamil Demby, OT (Maine)
- 6-195: Sebastian Joseph, DT (Rutgers)
- 6-205: Trevon Young, DE (Louisville)
- 7-231: Travin Howard, OLB (TCU)
- 7-244: Justin Lawler, DE (SMU)
The Rams didn’t have picks in the first two rounds due to trades for wideouts. They were without a first-rounder due to the Brandin Cooks trade with the Patriots, and their second-rounder was used in the Sammy Watkins deal.
The trio of rookie linemen (Noteboom, Allen, and Demby) could end up seeing some playing time should anything happen to the Rams’ starters. The three players are ultimately competing with Cornelius Lucas, Austin Blythe, Aaron Neary, and Jake Eldrenkamp for backup reps.
Okoronkwo could see some time at outside linebacker if projected starters Matt Longacre or Samson Ebukam need to be replaced. The Oklahoma product is competing with Ejuan Price and Trevon Young for playing time.