Why waived RB Wayne Gallman II should be claimed by LA Rams

Why Gallman?

Truth be told, there is always a risk of overestimating the impact of a recently cut player. I’ll admit that there is a certain gullibility that accompanies a state of utter fatigue. I am more easily influenced by things I read when I am beyond tired, and that is the starting point of putting this article out there.

Los Angeles Rams

But even as I try to shoot holes in this one, I can’t. Wayne Gallman II is a 6-foot-0 210-pound running back who can carry the football north and south. Most of his NFL career has been in a rotational role. He’s played in 53 games but started just 14 of them.  Does that mean he’s a special teamer specialist? Not at all. He’s played over 1000 snaps on offense, and just 275 snaps on special teams. He can run.

So how well does he run? In 2020, he carried the ball 147 times for 682 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 4.6 yards-per-carry. In direct comparison, that’s better than the Rams’ own RB Darrell Henderson.  He ran strong for the 49ers, putting up 15 rushes for 72 yards against the Chargers, and 13 times for 60 yards against the Raiders.  He is a true north-south running back who the LA Rams saw in last year’s game. In that one, Gallman ran just six times and put up 45 yards. He was only on the field for 10 offensive snaps in that game.

Gallman rushed 16 times for 135 yards against the Seattle Seahawks in 2020. He put up 12 carries for 57 yards against the Arizona Cardinals. And finally, he rushed four times for seven yards against the 49ers. He is also serviceable in the passing game, hauling in 21 of 27 passes targeting him for 147 yards. He is coming off his rookie contract and entering the prime of his football career. What does his salary cost? He signed on with the 49ers on a one-year deal worth $990,000. That’s pretty cheap for a potential productive NFL running back