LA Rams elevate S J.R. Reed from practice squad for MNF game

The LA Rams reinforce shallow secondary by elevating S Reed from the practice squad for Monday Night Football

The LA Rams have lost defensive back Terrell Burgess for the season, and safety Taylor Rapp for the foreseeable future. Since the secondary opened the season fairly shallow, there was not enough depth to absorb losing two players simultaneously. So the Rams had signed former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive back J.R. Reed to the practice squad as the 2020 NFL season opened.

Now, that move will pay off for the Monday Night Football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  You see, the Rams have elevated Reed to the active roster for the Rams’ tenth game of the season. So what does that mean?

Well, it means that the Rams are wisely reinforcing their secondary for a game against one of the NFL’s best passers, quarterback Tom Brady. And Reed’s presence in the game is not some ‘he’s going to be getting significant defensive snaps’ maneuver. So what does it mean?

Reed is worth discussing

When the LA Rams signed J.R. Reed to the practice squad, we discussed how a medical flag had dropped him from most team’s radar.  After all, he is 6-foot-1 and 202-pounds, a physical player who is the son of former Vikings’ WR Jake Reed. So far, Reed has been developing on the Rams’ practice squad. But the team has a pattern of featuring practice squad players on the active roster on or about the last six games of the season. Tonight’s temporary promotion of Reed continues that pattern.

Reed will likely not see defensive snaps. It’s okay that he gets special teams’ snaps in this one. But he’s there on the bench in case the Rams need an extra defensive back in the game. He’s had about as much time practicing with the team as Jordan Fuller had before coming out and shocking the NFL with a formidable safety play. Reed is a similar build and style and could be ready for a similar role on the defense if the need presents itself.

J.R. Reed may be nothing more than a defensive back who gets to cover kickoffs in a huge game for the LA Rams. But rest assured, if the Rams need him to be more, he will be.