[AvengerRam]

Looked fine to me against Dallas.

Looked a bit off against New Orleans.

Not enough data from New England game.

[AltiTude Ram]

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles-ra ... -henderson

The Todd Gurley insurance policy:
Meet Darrell Henderson

Lindsey Thiry
ESPN



THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- It could, and perhaps should, be called a Todd Gurley II insurance policy.

But that is not how the Los Angeles Rams described their decision to move up in the NFL draft to select Memphis running back Darrell Henderson in the third round with the 70th overall pick.


Darrell Henderson rushed for nearly 2,000 yards in his career at Memphis. Justin Ford/USA TODAY Sports
General manager Les Snead characterized Henderson as the "change-of-pace" back that the organization has been in search of since coach Sean McVay arrived two seasons ago. And McVay said Henderson could "provide a different threat" behind Gurley and backup Malcolm Brown.

Both Snead and McVay’s descriptions of their newest back could be true.

But the Rams’ selection of Henderson with their second pick also raises more questions about the status of Gurley’s left knee, which kept him sidelined for the final two games of the regular season. Gurley returned for the playoffs, and -- as he shared carries with C.J. Anderson -- appeared to return to form as he rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown in a divisional-round win over the Dallas Cowboys. But he struggled in the NFC Championship Game, gaining only 13 total yards on five touches, and then was held to 35 yards in 10 carries in Super Bowl LIII.

“This had to do with his skill set,” McVay said, when asked if Henderson’s addition was tied to Gurley’s knee. “He was a player that we identified as a unique playmaker.”

Henderson is small, at 5-foot-8 and 208 pounds, with big-play ability. He rushed for 22 touchdowns and caught three more as a junior last season and averaged 8.9 yard per carry on his way to 1,909 career rushing yards.

“I’m able to catch out of the backfield. I’m able to return kicks,” Henderson said. “I’m able to run the ball, run hard and do a lot of things.”

"You see the explosiveness," McVay said.

Gurley, who signed a four-year, $60 million extension before last season, offered Henderson a warm welcome on social media after his selection.


Todd Gurley II

@TG3II
Yessirr Congrats Bro️#DreamsToReality

Memphis Football

@MemphisFB
Darrell Henderson has been drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft! #GoTigersGo #TigerFam

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But it remains to be seen how much all three backs -- Gurley, Brown (who signed a two-year, $3.25 million deal as a restricted free agent last month) and Henderson -- will get to play.

McVay said that Henderson was a back who could prompt him to break from his almost singular use the past two seasons of his 11-personnel scheme (three receivers, one running back and one tight end) and that he could deploy more personnel groupings, perhaps to include two running backs, this season.

“Being able to give somebody a chance to come in and provide a different threat is exactly what we identified” in Henderson, McVay said.

Since the Rams' loss in the Super Bowl, Snead and McVay have said that they must manage Gurley’s workload. But McVay also has maintained that Gurley would remain a focal point of the Rams’ prolific offense.

“We anticipate Todd being a huge part of this like he has been the last couple years,” McVay said. “As far as managing the workload, those are things that we talk about with Todd and as you continue to get educated on, is that something that we should do for the long haul or something that is or isn’t going to affect Todd most importantly and how does that affect our team.”

Gurley said at the start of voluntary offseason workouts two weeks ago that he was "feeling good” and was “taking it day by day” as he prepared for the upcoming season. But when asked if he could confirm reports that he was suffering from a degenerative condition or arthritis, Gurley offered no label at all. “All I can focus on is how I’m doing right now,” he said.

So while Gurley remains focused on the present, the Rams have clearly mapped a plan for their future. How exactly it involves Gurley is unlikely to be seen until September.

-------------------------------

"Both Sneads and Mcvay's description of their new RB could be true "

And there you have it!

The GM and Coach said something that could be true.

If the reporters would stop trying to write their story and report what the Rams say, this wouldn't be anything. JMO

[aeneas1]

"Both Sneads and Mcvay's description of their new RB could be true "

And there you have it!

The GM and Coach said something that could be true.

If the reporters would stop trying to write their story and report what the Rams say, this wouldn't be anything. JMO

one of the lines that's getting a lot of traction lately is that the rams matched the lions offer in order to keep brown AND drafted a rb, which of course they wouldn't have done if gurley was healthy... oddly tho, no mention that if they hadn't matched the lions and drafted a back it would have left just kelly and davis behind gurley, i.e. an undrafted guy with 11 nfl offensive snaps under his belt, and 6th round guy with just 50 nfl offensive snaps under his belt.

anyway, what team would draft a rb if their superstar back was healthy? what team would draft a rb after their superstar back recently won offensive player of the year, made the pro bowl, and made first team all pro? the 2000 rams? i guess it's something in the water.

[PARAM]

The media loves the Rams non committal stance on this. It gives them something to toss around like a killer whale with a seal. If the Rams came right out and answered every question WTF would they write about?

It's not unlike the radio show callers I've listened to since the draft. Why did my team draft him there? They could have had him further down. Or why did my team take him, they could have had that other guy. The hosts have forgot more about football than any of the callers know but they're not in a personnel department, they're doing radio. So they put up with the mini Mel Kipers because it creates conversation. We can put up with these clowns because the Rams are front and center.

There is nothing under this rock, for my money. Gurley has a repaired knee that will sometimes need rest. Brown is a very good backup, knows the system and came cheaper than they initially were willing to pay. Henderson is completely different from those two and has been described as an Alvin Kamara-type back. We played the Saints three times in two years. Maybe McVay had some Alvin-envy? In any event, how do you pass on the possibility our backfield (and our offense) may have just gotten a whole lot better?