THOUSAND OAKS — Rams coach Sean McVay had plenty of news items to share Monday regarding his running backs and it was more bad than good.
The good news, rookie running back Kyren Williams participated in his first 11-on-11 period since suffering a foot injury in June. As for the bad, Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson didn’t practice because of soft tissue injuries, according to McVay.
McVay said he’s not sure when his top two running backs will return to practice, but he added that they won’t return until they’re cleared to go full speed in team drills.
“We’re just being smart with (Henderson) and Cam,” McVay said after the team’s first practice at Cal Lutheran University since leaving Irvine. “They’ve had a couple soft tissue things. … We want them to be able to return to performance where it can be full speed. It’s not 50 percent. We need to be able to go at running back, so the first goal is get those guys back out here when both of them are able to go full speed, 100 percent with no restrictions.”
Henderson was sidelined for the final two camp practices in Irvine, although the last one was just a walk-through workout. Akers had a productive final full practice and received the bulk of the carries before participating in the walk-through the following day.
Henderson missed the final month of the offseason program because of soft tissue issues, something that plagued him during the 2021 season. But Henderson started training camp by splitting carries with Akers.
McVay on RBs Akers and Henderson: “Until they’re full speed, we’re not going to have them practice.” #Rams https://t.co/pFBCPfw9q3
— Gilbert Manzano (@GManzano24) August 15, 2022
McVay rotated the running backs, but they both received limited carries before increasing their workload for the final week of camp in Irvine. Akers, however, made the most of his opportunities and appeared to be at top form a year after tearing his Achilles tendon in training camp.
“Soft tissue is always difficult,” McVay said. “You don’t want to push anybody. … Let’s check the box on them, feeling like they can really open up, no restrictions. I don’t know if you ever feel great at any point moving forward, especially at running back, but we want to be smart with that. … They’re not full speed. So, until they’re full speed, we’re not going to have them practice.”
Williams, the team’s 2022 fifth-round pick, and Jake Funk, a second-year running back, are expected to see an increase in carries with the first-team unit in practices while Akers and Henderson are sidelined. But McVay said Sunday that he’s not sure if Williams will participate in the final two preseason games against the Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals.
Judging from McVay’s words, perhaps the team has some concern about Akers and Henderson not being available for the regular season and that could be why Williams might not see preseason action.
“I’m not sure about that,” McVay said of Williams. “He’s done a really good job. He’s basically been a full participant with the way that we practice as of late. I think a lot of that’s going to be predicated on some of the health of the other situations, but I have not determined that yet. … Whether he plays in the next two preseason games, not 100 percent sure, but he’s going to have really heavy workloads at practice. I expect him to be a guy that’s going to help us this year.”
The Rams will likely go with the running back trio of Funk, A.J. Rose and Raymond Calais for the second preseason game. They host the Houston Texans on Friday night at SoFi Stadium. McVay said he was impressed with the trio for the preseason opener against the Chargers.
RAMPING UP STAFFORD’S WORKLOAD
Quarterback Matthew Stafford was a full participant Monday and he’s expected to do the same for Tuesday’s intrasquad scrimmage.
“Going to ramp him up,” McVay said. “He’s going to go back-to-back days.”
McVay said Stafford and the first-team unit will have about 60 snaps in a variety of game-like situations during the scrimmage.
The Rams reduced Stafford’s workload after the opening week of training camp in Irvine because he was dealing with soreness in his throwing arm. Stafford missed team drills for the second week, but he participated in the 11-on-11 period for the final full practice in Irvine.
MORE INJURY UPDATES
Defensive lineman Bobby Brown likely won’t need surgery for the ankle injury he sustained in last week’s preseason opener, according to McVay.
“The good news is it’s not anything that we anticipate requiring surgery or things like that,” McVay said. “That’s a positive.”
Last month, Brown was suspended for the first six games of the season for violating the NFL policy on performance-enhancing substances. Brown will be allowed to rehab his ankle injury with the team while serving his suspension, according to McVay.
Outside linebacker Leonard Floyd and wide receiver Jacob Harris returned to practice Monday. Floyd was dealing with an ankle issue and Harris was sidelined because of a groin strain.
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