The 3-7 Rams might have finally accepted that it’s time to prioritize the younger players for the rest of the season based on the moves they made Tuesday.
The Rams waived running back Darrell Henderson and outside linebacker Justin Hollins, two veteran players who have started multiple games this season. The team also cut tight end Kendall Blanton from the practice squad.
Henderson got the bulk of the Rams’ carries through 10 games, but he struggled to make an impact and it didn’t help that he was playing behind a banged-up offensive line and a pass-heavy offense that often abandoned the running game.
Henderson, the team’s 2019 third-round pick, was in his final year of his rookie contract and the Rams drafted his potential replacement earlier this year with the fifth-round selection of Kyren Williams.
With Henderson gone, that likely means more carries for Williams and Cam Akers, who also has a murky future with the team after being sent home for nearly a month earlier this season because of differences with Rams coach Sean McVay. Henderson had 70 carries for 283 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games this season.
Henderson only received two carries in last week’s loss to the New Orleans Saints because his knee was bothering him during pregame drills, according to McVay. Akers received 14 carries for a team-high 61 yards and Williams recorded seven carries for 36 yards. Williams has only played in three games this season because he suffered an ankle injury during the season-opening kickoff against the Bills.
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The Rams might be forced into a run-heavy offense with Akers and Williams if mobile quarterback Bryce Perkins takes over for Matthew Stafford, who’s being evaluated for a potential second concussion this season.
Hollins, who joined the Rams in 2020, opened the season as the second starting edge rusher behind Leonard Floyd and had the daunting task of replacing Von Miller’s production – Miller joined the Buffalo Bills in free agency after helping the Rams win a Super Bowl last season. Hollins, who recorded one sack, struggled to generate pressure and saw his snaps dwindle each week because of the improvements from Terrell Lewis, the Rams’ 2020 third-round pick.
Lewis will now be a full-time starter, but he still has plenty to prove because the Rams will likely be searching for pass rushers in the offseason. With seven games left in the regular season, the Rams will be evaluating the inexperienced players to learn which ones could help for next season.