Can LA Rams RB Darrell Henderson bench Todd Gurley this year?

The LA Rams running game drifted aimlessly in 2019. Can RB Darrell Henderson put the Rams rushing attack back on track, possibly at the expense of Todd Gurley‘s playing time?

The LA Rams did not randomly draft running back Darrell Henderson in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Whether it was an insurance policy, a subtle message, or simply the attraction of adding a potential returner to the special teams, the move created a statement to the organization and the fans.  That statement delivered to everyone was pretty obvious.  The Rams wanted more oomph in a running game which relied far to heavily upon veteran runner CJ Anders to close out the 2018 playoffs.

Fresh legs, and more speed.  Those were the answers sought by the Rams from the 2019 NFL Draft.  But what the team was left with instead was a host of more questions.  The 2019 Rams offense was able to reduce the workload on running back Todd Gurley. However, rather than increase the load of Henderson or backup running back Malcolm Brown, the Rams opted to increase the number of passing attempts per game.

Perhaps part of that decision making process was deliberate. After all, we know that the Rams offensive line began the season grading out poorly, and then the team was caught in what seemed to be an endless loop of injury, swapping linemen, getting a game or two behind them, another injury. Eventually, the offensive line seemed to stabilize somewhat.  Of course, the damage was already done, and Goff and the passing game become the lion’s share of the offensive game plan.

That decision left three running backs doing the work for two running backs from the previous season. While the effort did result in reducing the workload for premier RB Gurley, the lack of touches left the team still confused as to the upside of the young RB Henderson.

No trust = no touches

Lack of touches is quite the understatement.  Henderson touched the ball a toal of 39 times over 13 games played, or just three times per game.  When teammate RB Brown was out due to injury, Henderson touched the ball 11 times in each of two games, but never for more than 49 yards in a game all season.  Of course, it’s tough to get any type of momentum going when you don’t touch the ball much.

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It was enough for Sosa Kremenjas at TurfShowTimes to annoint him as destined for stardom. That seems a bit… presumptious. But in light of the rumors of the Rams pondering the future of Todd Gurley, the Rams will likely be turning to either Brown or Henderson to fill any vacated role in the rushing offense.  After four season of Brown, and in the process leaning on the just signed legs of veteran C.J. Anderson in post-season, it’s a safe bet to believe the Rams understand what they have in him.  The only wildcard now is what does the team have in Henderson?

If running back Todd Gurley has serious arthritic knees, the Rams face a day when Gurley will reach a point of no return. Has it happened already, and 2019 is just the beginning of Gurley’s downward slope of fewer and fewer yards rushing?  Or was 2019 an offensive line anomaly, and Gurley will put up familiar numbers as soon as the offensive line gets its act together.

If Gurley is truly as healthy and ready to bounce back as the player suggests, then the Rams will likely merely work to redo his contract to enable the team to sign offensive linemen.  But if Gurley’s health continues to be an issue, the team will make moves towards replacing Gurley’s production via new players.  It may be a veteran running back, or an unusually high pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, but the team will need to bring in more competition.

2019 missed opportunity

2019’s outcome is disappointing, because the 2019 NFL Draft selection of Henderson was sold as a way to get Gurley off the field and take fewer snaps, while allowing Henderson to pick up a regular portion of each Sunday’s plays.  Whether that means draw plays, using Henderson as a check down receiver, or simply as a pass protecting running back (which he is not good at), he was to unburden Gurley to help the Rams running game stay fresh all season long. Is Henderson up to the task in 2020?

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All of these deliberations would be resolved had the Rams given Henderson more work in 2019. That’s now water under the bridge, as is the 2019 NFL season. What faces the LA Rams is the need to make the running game threaten defenses enough to prevent them from pinning their ears back and teeing off on quarterback Jared Goff.

Of course, the Rams have flirted with running back John Kelly as well, signing him back to the practice squad in November 2019. He makes the fourth rusher for the team now, albeit he had struggled to crack the roster behind Gurley, Brown, and Henderson.

In 2019, the Rams running backs ranked Gurley, Brown, Henderson, and Kelly. How they will rank in 2020 is open to debate. Hopefully, Henderson will improve significantly from his rookie to his sophomore season.  Hopefully, Gurley will recover as well and be back to full production.  If he regresses further, then 2020 may be the season where Henderson will take over as the main rusher for the Rams, and Gurley will sit a few series out on the bench.

What was the plan for 2019?

A running game by committee would be a viable alternative for the team to consider this year. Unfortunately, and changes to the status quo comes with an endless stream of questions.  Last season, the team did not seem ripe to field those questions.

Of course, whatever the case for either 2019 or 2020 in terms of the running game, the Rams will be hiring new staff to oversee player development.  The Rams elected to part ways with running back coach Skip Peete this year.  At the time, the mood was that this was a result of Gurley’s sub par production in 2019.

In hindsight, could it have been more related to the lack of Henderson making a bigger splash on the offense last season? Was the plan to get Henderson more touches in 2019, but he simply wasn’t ready in time?

That could explain why the team turned to Goff’s arm. More emphasis on the passing game would likely be the “Plan B” if the team’s original hope to get Henderson rushing early and often stalled.  And that would also be a solid reason for head coach Sean McVay to hire on an offensive coordinator, specifically to help monitor the readiness of players for larger roles in the offense.

What is the plan for 2020?

Changes are underway for the Rams this season.  While the main focus of offensive fixes will be upon the offensive line, and rightfully so, that is not where it ends.  The 2019 season opened several areas where the Rams must simply do a better job.  Let’s run down the list:

Offensive line depth – The LA Rams will not suddenly be able to stock the line with the best of the NFL this free agency. That is not their style so far, and they haven’t available salary cap space to amend their ways. But the team can seek undervalued veterans who could absorb starts while younger players develop enough to earn starting roles.

Offensive play book – The Rams seemed to get stuck in the way the team approached games in 2019.  When the offense struggled, the team’s ability to restructure the offense based on the defense they faced may have hurt the team.  With the hire of new offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell, the Rams intend to do a better job of modifying their game plan to each week’s opponent.

Stack more blockers on offense – The NFL has caught up to the Rams use of wide receivers to pressure defenses. Now, defenses have faster pass rushers who get to Goff before routes develop downfield. Now it’s the Rams who must catch up to the faster pass rush. the Rams can do so in several ways.  Of course misdirection plays like draws or bootlegs help.  But the Rams can scheme more offense with the “12”, or two tight-end set formations.  Another change of pace would be to land a fullback on the roster, and use that player to compliment the play of the running backs.  Of course, Henderson would benefit significantly in those formations.

It seems the right question for the Rams heading into 2020 is no longer “Will Todd Gurley be back this year?”.  Perhaps the right question to ask is “How can the Rams make up for less production out of Todd Gurley this season?  When the team asks that question, then running back Darrell Henderson becomes  the more logical answer.  After all, it’s no as important who rushes the ball for 100 yards, merely that the Rams offense can do so on a consistent basis.