5 tough LA Rams players who need more playing time

Tough guy V: Veteran RB of smash-mouth football

I thought when the LA Rams traded two draft picks for running back Sony Michel, the plan was to involve him in the offense. Instead, it’s as though the Rams would rather not run than play Michel in a football game. That is incredibly disappointing because the Rams did not sign the guy off the waiver wire not sign him from free agency.

The Rams traded away their 2022 sixth-round plus a 2023 fourth-round pick for the veteran running back on a one-year rental. If the belief was that the team could use him for the 2021 NFL season, and then cash in on an awarded compensatory draft pick in 2023, they need to rethink that strategy. Playing the guy with 76 rushes and 291 yards and one touchdown in 10 games is not going to attract much attention in the NFL Free Agency market.

In fact, the Rams may have eroded his value in the upcoming free agency that no team will express much interest in the guy. That is a huge disappointment, because the Rams gave away two draft picks to rent a player who they are content to place on the bench and collect dust.

Short-sighted vision for Sony Michel

Not only is that myopic in normal circumstances under normal conditions, but with the current way that the Rams are getting beaten on the football field, they should be emphasizing Michel, not hiding him.

Sony Michel is a gifted and versatile running back whose NFL experience makes him a positive addition to any roster. Standing 5-foot-11 and weighing 215-pounds, he is dangerous in both the running and passing game. With a career average of 4.2 yards per rush and 8.6 yards per catch, he threatens defenses in multiple ways.

Unfortunately, the LA Rams have not guessed the right way to use him, and that has resulted in his performance for his new team coming in far below his career average. Perhaps that has something to do with the Rams ‘finesse’ mindset, rather than just going after the opposing team? Michel is a downhill runner who wears down defenses. But averaging less than eight carries per game, there is no chance to wear down anyone.

The LA Rams have tough football guys on the Rams roster. The coaches simply need to give them more playing time and the latitude to play their style of football. The Rams will continue to be beaten up until they start to fight back. Hopefully, the coaching staff will diagnose the problem quickly enough and play some tough guys in Week 12. While they may not be the most delicate NFL players, if someone punches them in the face, they’ll definitely punch back.