LA Rams: Waiving Nsimba Webster proving ST key to 2021

Return specialist roll call

While Tutu Atwell is the most likely and obvious choice, the LA Rams have a number of players who could find themselves vying for a role in the team’s return game. The list includes a handful of players who were brought to the team specifically due to their speed, athleticism, versatility, and special teams skills. So who are they? Let’s take a roll call.

RB Raymond Calais is the default seasoned veteran of the LA Rams special team returners. The 5-foot-8 188-pound speed demon was signed from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers waiver wire on his way to their practice squad. In four games in 2020, he returned seven kickoffs for a total of 152 yards, including a season-high 41-yard burst. He will be the guy to beat on kickoff returns. But the Rams added a lot of bodies to compete. Is he already fighting for his job?

WR Tutu Atwell is that guy will a spectrum of sizes listed.  He is 5-foot-9 and 165-pounds on the LA Rams official roster, so we’ll go with that. He’s also reportedly clocked a 40-yard dash time at 4.27-seconds. That type of speed will get you playing time in the NFL. He is a bit raw, and will no doubt be groomed as veteran DeSean Jackson’s padawan. But with the news of Webster’s release, I am more optimistic that Atwell could emerge with an offensive role this year as well.

RB Jake Funk is a young man added near the end of the 2021 NFL Draft and was a completely unexpected addition to the team. He stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 205-pounds, a bit light for the NFL role that I expect he will eventually fill. His 4.49-second 40-yard dash time is just one example of this man’s athleticism and versatility. Funk’s expertise is actually in special teams’ coverage, as he is the equivalent of an NFL heat-seeking missile.  He has good speed and a good focus on getting the football into his hands. He could be one of the solutions for the Rams in several areas.

RB Otis Anderson Jr. is a 5-foot-8 179-pound running back who was recently signed to the LA Rams to round out their roster. But much like buying one of the last tickets before the big drawing, Anderson’s late arrival has a feel of something much more than a camp body. In fact, he has the feel of someone who could make the roster and contribute this year. He has the chops to serve either as a running back or as a wide receiver and was outstanding in a punt returner role in college by averaging 12.3 yards-per-return in his college career. Some may see his arrival as just a temporary blip on the radar, but shortly after arriving, the veteran punt returner was waived.  Anderson is perhaps the one player whose future benefits the most from the news of Webster’s release.

Of course, releasing a player is typically a harbinger of a future signing, and that is likely what the Rams are deliberating on right now. In reality, the injury to RB Cam Akers will likely move him to injured reserve, opening a second slot on the team’s roster. Will the Rams move quickly to fill the spots before training camp opens on July 28, 2021? Or will the team pause and assess where the needs are on the roster before acting? Stay tuned folks. Today is shaping up to be a fast-paced kind of day.