After wild week, Rams get some players and normality back

The Rams came location from a triumphant travel to Arizona connected Monday nighttime knowing 5 players were sidelined by COVID-19 but not realizing however overmuch crazier their satellite was astir to get.

Defensive lineman Greg Gaines recovered retired erstwhile helium showed up astatine the Rams’ grooming installation successful Thousand Oaks Tuesday greeting to get attraction connected an injured hand.

“Somebody stopped maine astatine the gross and was like, ‘What are you doing here?’ ” Gaines said Saturday. “I was like, ‘Getting treatment. What bash you mean?’ ‘The full building’s unopen down.’ Like the Apocalypse was happening oregon something.”

In the adjacent 3 days, the Rams’ COVID-19 reserve database would turn to 29 players and their crippled against the Seattle Seahawks scheduled for Sunday was postponed to Tuesday nighttime astatine 4 p.m. astatine SoFi Stadium.

“It’s crazy,” backmost Matthew Stafford said, summing up the week.

Saturday brought signs of normality for the Rams, 1 of respective NFL teams deed hard by the coronavirus arsenic the Omicron variant brings world-wide surges successful cases.

The Rams returned to their installation and went done a jog-through practice, their archetypal clip connected the tract since earlier their 30-23 triumph implicit the Cardinals. They held meetings connected Zoom for the 4th time successful a row. A afloat signifier Sunday and jog-through Monday are expected.

The squad was capable to bring six players disconnected the COVID-19 reserve list, among them wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and moving backmost Darrell Henderson, but had to adhd violative lineman Joe Noteboom and antiaircraft backmost Robert Rochell to the list.

Those moves shortened the Rams’ COVID-19 reserve database from 29 players to 25.

But with six regular starters inactive connected the list, making their availability for Tuesday nighttime uncertain, practicing and penning a crippled program weren’t easy.

Coach Sean McVay refused to accidental if helium oregon immoderate members of his unit person tested affirmative for COVID-19, and the Rams said the presumption of coaches would beryllium announced Monday.

“It’s a fluid situation,” Stafford said Saturday, the archetypal clip successful 4 days that players oregon McVay spoke with reporters. “It mightiness alteration — for the affirmative oregon the negative.”

McVay said he’s making a program that includes the players helium thinks helium knows he’ll have, portion monitoring the chances of others returning.

He praised players’ effect to the situation, and said helium didn’t deliberation the outbreak of affirmative COVID-19 tests was the effect of immoderate “reckless” behavior.

“I couldn’t beryllium much pleased and arrogant of however these guys person handled a precise uncertain past mates of days,” McVay said.

Part of that uncertainty was players’ interest that they mightiness beryllium adjacent to trial positive.

“We’ve all, I’m sure, been stressing astir it. Every time we spell into the structure (for testing), I’m like, ‘Oh, man, delight don’t beryllium me,’ ” Gaines said. “Because if I get it now, I’m going to miss a game, possibly 2 games.”

Activated from the database Saturday, aft they submitted the required antagonistic tests, were Beckham, Henderson, choky extremity Brycen Hopkins, tackle Alaric Jackson, linebacker Justin Hollins and cornerback Dont’e Deayon.

The six regular starters remaining connected the COVID-19 reserve database were choky extremity Tyler Higbee, close tackle Rob Havenstein, linebackers Von Miller and Troy Reeder, cornerback Jalen Ramsey and information Jordan Fuller.

Fifteen members of the 53-man roster were connected the database and remained successful jeopardy of missing Tuesday night’s game.

For reinforcements, the Rams activated practice-squad wide receiver Brandon Powell — who had been up temporarily and returning kickoffs — and linebacker Anthony Hines.

They shored up the signifier squad by acquiring 8 players, including security connected peculiar teams successful kicker Ryan Santoso and agelong snapper Carson Tinker.

As of Saturday, the Rams were missing the astir players from the antiaircraft secondary and the violative line.

If Havenstein, Noteboom and Bobby Evans remained connected the COVID-19 list, the Rams would beryllium without an experienced close tackle, and would person to usage rookie Alaric Jackson astatine that presumption oregon determination implicit 1 of their guards.

Stafford said helium wasn’t disquieted astir the prime of his blocking.

“As agelong arsenic I don’t person to play (tackle),” helium said, “I deliberation we’ll beryllium good.”

NOTES

Sean McVay said antiaircraft tackle Aaron Donald, who banged a genu successful the Cardinals game, is “feeling good.” The Rams’ wounded study listed Donald arsenic constricted successful signifier Saturday. … Greg Gaines said his manus wounded isn’t serious. Gaines and halfway Brian Allen (knee) were listed arsenic afloat participants successful practice. … Others signed to the Rams signifier squad Saturday were choky extremity Kyle Markway — who was connected the roster successful grooming campy — tackle Adrian Ealy, centers Drake Jackson and Austin Reiter, and antiaircraft backs Damarious Randal and Delrick Abrams.