LA Rams injury update: Roster shuffling three more to IR after bye

It didn’t take long for a nearly healthy LA Rams roster to suffer injuries to three starters. Let’s recap the team IR list.

After just one game into the second half of the 2020 NFL Season, the LA Rams injury updates are headlining the team news once more.  While the Rams certainly had plenty of experience shuffling players around in 2019, it’s not the type of experience that anyone wanted to use so quickly. Now, history seems to be repeating itself, as the Rams suffered serious injuries to three different starters on the roster.

The team had been relatively unscathed so far this season.  Well, relative to other NFL teams that have been downright decimated. So while we have your attention, let’s go through all of the injuries to date.  Over the bye week, we knew about three players who were on the Injured Reserve: ILB Travin Howard, DB Terrell Burgess, and OLB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo. Three more were added to the IR list after the Seattle game: LT Andrew Whitworth, S Taylor Rapp, and K Kai Forbath.

Defense duo, plus one on the mend

ILB Travin Howard was the first injury, as he suffered a torn meniscus that would require surgery and end his season. Howard was the projected starter alongside teammate Micah Kiser, and his loss amplified concerns about the defense at inside linebacker.  The Rams promoted ILB Kenny Young to take over.

The next player to go on IR was OLB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo with an elbow injury in mid-October. That injury also required corrective surgery, and the time estimate for Obo’s absence was 4-6 weeks.  That time has nearly lapsed, so we are hopeful to hear positive news about his return to the active roster soon.

Finally, the Rams lost rookie defensive back Terrell Burgess to a broken ankle suffered during the Chicago Bears game. The injury was severe enough to end Burgess’s season with the Rams.  Of the three, only one is slated to return. But three more were added. Let’s discuss the most severe, Andrew Whitworth.