LA Rams: Travin Howard leads stiffer ILB competition in 2021

Mandatory Credit: John McCoy-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: John McCoy-USA TODAY Sports
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LA Rams News Rams Training Camp Travin Howard
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Travin Howard is back on the menu, boys!

The 2020 NFL season was further complicated for the LA Rams when their projected starter, Travin Howard, fell to a season-ending injury just before the start of the season. Thoughout training camp, the LA Rams had paired linebackers. With the injury to Travin Howard, the Rams were forced to play veteran Kenny Young to pair up with starter Micah Kiser. Young had not practiced with Kiser so that pairing was a bit awkward at first.

It became even more complicated when Micah Kiser fell to injury, and the LA Rams were forced to play their only two healthy inside linebackers. Of course, that all could have been avoided if Travin Howard was available in 2020. Well, Travin Howard is back on the menu, boys.

Howard is a 6-foot-1 219-pound inside linebacker who was selected with the 231st pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. He was a rotational player in 2019, seeing defensive action in 102 defensive snaps. He was a staple of the team’s coverage units, seeing three times as much action on special teams. That positioned him for a larger role in 2020, a role that was limited in the options due to so many players being so inexperienced at the position for the Rams defense. But even as it appeared that he would start at the position in 2020, he was lost for the season due to a knee injury.

Now he’s back and he’s got his wheels too.

"“I got my legs up under me, I’m running well. Being with my brothers out here, it just feels good to play football again and just be out here. I feel like I missed a year. I missed out on a lot.” Howard per theRams.com Stu Jackson of therams.com"

It’s one year later, and Travin Howard is gnawing at the bit to get back onto the football field and reenter the fray.

So far, it’s been Howard and Jones who have been mentioned by McVay, and that could be a harbinger of the eventual starters for the season. Howard is a bit more agile and shifty, a natural at pass defense, and a solid run stopper. Jones is a huge hitting thumper, an enforcer who will drop anyone with the football in his area. Combined, they could make a formidable pair.

Stay tuned…

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