LA Rams: Bubble wrapping RB Darrell Henderson is no answer

Know your lane, and stick to it

Are we to believe that Darrell Henderson, the change of pace back, will suddenly carry the ball 20+ times a game for 17 games? I don’t think so. And no, keeping him out of preseason games will not change that. In fact, it could make him more self-conscious about full-contact football play when he does see action.

Darrell Henderson attacks the perimeters very well. Get outside of an outside linebacker and watch those yards pile up as he gates down the sidelines. He does not do as well between the tackles, as he rushes into the hole at full speed, sometimes long before his blockers have plowed the way. That is just who he is. That is just how he runs. Holding him out of preseason games won’t fix that.

Yes, I know this is how head coach Sean McVay rolls. Starters don’t play preseason games. I get that. But for the sake of getting that offensive timing down, and getting everyone into a rhythm, I wouldn’t object to this year becoming the exception to the rule. To be honest, I would applaud it.

Keeping Henderson healthy is not about keeping him out of games. Rather, it’s about a steady flow of work, from 10-15 carries a game, and time enough to rest up and heal after his 5-foot-8 208-pound body takes a pounding on game day. Preseason games are warm-ups. Dress rehearsals. 70-80 percent of the speed and physicality of an NFL game.

I understand the desire to protect the guy. I truly do. But if that means they must bench him now for the good of the team, then the Rams failed to reset the roster.  Sorry to say this, but if that is the case then there are larger issues at play here. The Rams have four running backs who have never carried the football on offense. Two of the four were on the LA Rams roster all of 2020.

Giving either Raymond Calais or Xavier Jones a handful of rushes in 2020 would be a great deal now, wouldn’t it? But as much as the team plays chess in the offseason, it’s still checkers on game day.  The Rams add a lot of talent to the bench but have allowed some of it to wither through non-use.

Let’s hope the backfield has an outstanding game against the Chicago Bears. Let’s hope that the Rams uncover a running back who can slam that football between the tackles for the 2021 season. Let’s hope that these LA Rams do not try to run Darrell Henderson into the ground. That’s a lot of hope, isn’t it?  But they’ve bubble wrapped Henderson. So that should fix everything. Or at least delay the worries until the season has started.