Darrell Henderson’s injured thumb points to Rams’ depth issue

THOUSAND OAKS — For the 2nd clip this month, the Rams dodged catastrophe by the width of a thumb connected Monday.

Starting moving backmost Darrell Henderson, who near signifier with a thumb injury, has thing worse than a sprain and is “day to day,” a Rams root said Monday evening.

This was an adjacent quicker travel from interest to alleviation than the squad took erstwhile backmost Matthew Stafford wounded the thumb connected his throwing manus connected Aug. 2 and returned to signifier the pursuing day.

But the alleviation isn’t total. Henderson’s scare is simply a reminder of the Rams’ extent issues astatine moving back.

Behind Henderson are 3 backs who person ne'er taken a regular-season handoff successful the NFL: Xavier Jones and rookies Jake Funk and Otis Anderson.

Raymond Calais, who saw enactment astatine moving backmost and footwear returner successful the archetypal 2 accumulation games, injured a ft successful the preseason crippled against the Las Vegas Raiders connected Saturday and was waived Monday (though the Rams tin get him backmost and enactment him connected injured reserve aft helium clears waivers).

Asked if Jones and Funk are acceptable for regular-season backup roles, oregon if the Rams are looking astatine who other is available, Coach Sean McVay was noncommittal.

“I deliberation we’re inactive successful the process of figuring that out. We’ve got a small spot of time,” McVay said. “Darrell’s a feline that’s been established and done immoderate bully things, but …”

Henderson, entering his 3rd season, missed signifier oregon games with hamstring, quadriceps and ankle injuries portion gaining 624 yards past year.

That was 1 gait little than the team-high 625 by Cam Akers, who volition miss this play with an Achilles tear.

McVay said helium was pleased with the improved performances successful the 2nd preseason crippled by Funk, who had 56 yards connected 8 carries, and Jones, who had 29 yards connected 7 carries and 10 yards connected 1 reception, positive 2 coagulated gains canceled by penalties.

“I thought Jake had immoderate good, pugnacious runs aboriginal connected wherever helium benignant of created connected his own,” McVay said. “And past I thought Xavier made immoderate bully plays successful the walk crippled – arsenic helium got much touches, you could consciousness helium got into the bushed of the game.”

The Rams carried 5 moving backs connected their 53-man roster successful Week 1 successful 2020, suggesting they person an opening.

DUCK HODGES WAIVED

The Rams waived backmost Duck Hodges and information Paris Ford connected Monday to trim their roster to 82 1 time earlier NFL teams indispensable get down to 80.

The 82 see punters Johnny Hekker and Corey Bojorquez, some placed connected the COVID-19 reserve database Saturday, truthful the Rams mightiness not marque further cuts until 1 is reinstated.

Unlike Calais, who tin beryllium brought backmost and enactment connected IR, Hodges and Ford were released done “no recall” waivers.

The departure of Hodges, the former Pittsburgh Steelers backup signed successful January, means Bryce Perkins’ bully showings against the Chargers and Raiders person won Perkins the No. 3 backmost occupation and a spot connected the Rams’ signifier squad.

To beryllium enactment connected the signifier squad, Perkins volition person to wide waivers erstwhile the Rams chopped down to 53 by Aug. 31. If different squad claims him, it volition person to enactment him connected its progressive roster.

McVay plans to person Perkins play the full crippled erstwhile the Rams look the Broncos successful their preseason finale connected Saturday successful Denver, but helium said No. 2 backmost John Wolford volition beryllium successful azygous successful lawsuit Perkins gets hurt.

FORMER RAMS SCOUT DIES

Danton Barto, a erstwhile Memphis State, CFL and Arena Football League linebacker who scouted for the Rams from 2013-17, died astatine 50 connected Sunday aft being hospitalized for COVID-19.

His wife, Shelley Beth Barto, told the Memphis Commercial Appeal helium was not vaccinated.

Said Rams GM Les Snead: “He loved shot much than anyone I know, and had a natural, instinctive oculus for identifying talent.”

STAFFORD LOOKS AHEAD

Matthew Stafford was asked if he’ll beryllium acceptable for the play opener vs. the Chicago Bears aft helium and different Rams starters beryllium retired preseason games.

“I anticipation I’m getting amended successful this discourtesy for five, seven, 10 years,” said Stafford, who volition beryllium 43 successful 10 years. “I anticipation my archetypal crippled connected Sept. 12 isn’t my champion crippled arsenic a Ram. I’d emotion to person a large one, but I anticipation I get amended and better.”

RESPECT FOR DONALD, RAMSEY

The NFL’s offseason canvass of players placed Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey astatine No. 13 connected the league’s yearly apical 100, the highest ranking successful his 4 consecutive years connected the list.

Defensive tackle Aaron Donald is 1 of the players successful the apical 10, the league said. The nonstop 1-10 rankings volition beryllium announced Saturday. Donald was No. 1 successful 2019, and No. 3 successful 2020

PRACTICE NOTES

McVay stopped signifier and lectured the squad aft linemen kept jumping offside Monday. “Good teams don’t bushed themselves. We had excessively galore self-inflicted wounds,” McVay told reporters later. “Sometimes it’s conscionable the wide energy. I privation to consciousness a small spot more.” … Stafford connected respective times with pinpoint passes to wide receiver Van Jefferson successful practice. … Linebacker Ernest Jones broke up different Stafford-to-Jefferson pass. Defensive lineman Michael Hoecht made a bully deflection of a Wolford pass.