THOUSAND OAKS — The Rams placed moving backmost Darrell Henderson connected the COVID-19 reserve database Saturday, putting their starring rusher’s availability for the important crippled against the Arizona Cardinals deeper successful doubt.
Assuming Henderson is vaccinated – and determination has been nary crushed to deliberation helium isn’t – NFL protocols necessitate him to trial antagonistic for COVID-19 doubly successful a 24-hour play to beryllium allowed to permission the reserve database successful clip for the Rams’ crippled Monday nighttime successful Glendale, Ariz.
If helium doesn’t grounds antagonistic tests Sunday and Monday, Henderson would miss his 3rd crippled of the season, aft a rib wounded sidelined him for 1 week successful October and a thigh wounded kept him connected the sideline for Sunday’s triumph implicit the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Rams are well-fixed for a backup moving back. Sony Michel rushed for 121 yards against the Jaguars, the archetypal 100-yard crippled by a Rams backmost this season. But their roster of seasoned backs drops disconnected quickly, with Buddy Howell and Mekhi Sargent the different backs connected the 53-man roster, and Javian Hawkins connected the signifier squad.
The squad hadn’t said by mid-afternoon Saturday if immoderate players were recovered to person had adjacent interaction with Henderson.
The COVID-19 reserve list, portion of the protocols enacted by the NFL aboriginal successful the coronavirus pandemic successful 2020, is for players who trial affirmative for the microorganism oregon person adjacent interaction with idiosyncratic who does.
Teams don’t routinely accidental if a subordinate going connected the reserve database tested positive. They besides don’t person to disclose publically which of their players are vaccinated. Rams manager Sean McVay has said this twelvemonth that each but 1 of his players is vaccinated.
“(There is) lone 1 (Rams) subordinate to my cognition that is not vaccinated, but he’s got antibodies now, I tin archer you that,” McVay said Nov. 3, indicating it’s a subordinate who had contracted the microorganism and gone connected the reserve database earlier then.
When McVay talked with reporters Saturday morning, helium knew lone that Henderson was sick and would miss practice.
“Don’t person immoderate much accusation connected that,” McVay said. “Once a guy’s not feeling good, we tally immoderate of the modular testing, and we haven’t got immoderate of that worldly backmost arsenic it relates to COVID and things of that nature.”
About an hr later, the Rams announced Henderson was going connected the COVID-19 list.
Henderson has carried for 648 gait and 5 touchdowns successful his 3rd play aft being drafted successful the 3rd circular retired of Memphis. He’s 12th successful the league successful rushing yards per crippled (64.8) and 14th successful yards per effort (4.6).
“It’s unfortunate, but it is going around, and it is portion of the world, and we bash person protocols and each that,” Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. “Just abide by the rules. Let him get healthy. Pray for his wellness and information and each that.
“Just got to person the adjacent antheral up.”
In 2020, the Rams mislaid wide receiver Cooper Kupp and antiaircraft lineman Michael Brockers to the COVID-19 database for a crippled precocious successful the season, and had respective different players admit having tested affirmative oregon going connected the database during the year.
But successful the 2nd NFL play affected by the pandemic, the Rams’ roster has been comparatively unscathed, Henderson being the archetypal starter connected discourtesy oregon defence to beryllium kept retired of signifier oregon a crippled for reasons related to COVID-19 since the opening of grooming camp.
Rookie linebacker Chris Garrett was connected the database for astir 3 weeks, including the archetypal 2 weeks of the season, and has appeared successful lone 1 game. Punter Johnny Hekker went connected the database during grooming camp, rookie receiver Tutu Atwell successful grooming camp, and Shelton successful the preseason. Offensive enactment manager Kevin Carberry and wide receivers manager Eric Yarber missed immoderate of grooming campy due to the fact that of the virus.
By contrast, the Chargers placed 4 players connected the COVID-19 reserve database conscionable successful the past week. Wide receiver Keenan Allen volition miss Sunday’s crippled against the New York Giants, portion receiver Mike Williams and cornerback Chris Harris were activated from the database Saturday. There has been nary updatee connected halfway Scott Quessenberry
The Cardinals (10-2), the NFC West leaders whom the Rams (8-4) play Monday astatine State Farm Stadium, person nary players presently connected the COVID-19 list. But they’ve had a fistful connected the database during the season, including wide receiver A.J. Green successful November. Arizona manager Kliff Kingsbury tested affirmative for the microorganism successful October and missed a triumph implicit the Cleveland Browns.
In different roster determination Saturday, the Rams placed rookie cornerback Robert Rochell connected injured reserve with a thorax wounded suffered successful the Jaguars game.
Their wounded study designated halfway Brian Allen arsenic doubtful for the Cardinals crippled aft helium wounded his close genu connected the archetypal play against the Jaguars, making it apt that Coleman Shelton volition capable successful again snapping the shot to backmost Matthew Stafford.
Outside linebacker Terrell Lewis (back) and cornerback Dont’e Deayon (illness) were listed arsenic questionable.
McVay said linebacker Justin Hollins, who has been connected injured reserve since September with a torn pectoral muscle, is apt to beryllium activated earlier Monday’s game.
NOTES
Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. spoke astir the decease astatine 33 of erstwhile NFL wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. “I’ve known Demaryius for years, hung retired with him aggregate times, and it’s conscionable sad,” Beckham said. “It’s precise heartbreaking, and a subtle, brushed reminder of however precious beingness is and however to conscionable beryllium contiguous and worth each and each moment.” Beckham said said helium has tried to “be there” for linebacker Von Miller, who was a teammate of Thomas with the Broncos. …
Beckham enjoyed talking astir his touchdown solemnisation successful the Jaguars game, inspired by the video crippled Call of Duty: Warzone, adjacent though immoderate observers thought helium was really hurt. Among them was Cooper Kupp. “I deliberation helium thought I came down incorrect and helium was conscionable benignant of disquieted for a second,” Beckham said. “But I (was) conscionable having fun.” …
Rams near tackle Andrew Whitworth turns 40 Sunday, joining Tom Brady arsenic the lone fortysomethings progressive successful the NFL.