LA Rams roster restores six as Week 15 showdown with Seattle nears

The LA Rams are racing against the clock now to build a functioning roster capable of playing, if not outright winning, in Week 15. The news that arrived later in the day on Saturday, December 18, 2021, seems to support the former at least. For the first time in a week’s passing, the team announced taking six players off their Reserve/COVID-19 list.

The news came late in the day, with six players being activated off the team’s reserve list. We cite the information from NFL News reporter and analyst Ian Rapaport to declare who was returned to play. Unfortunately, the Rams also announced the addition of two more players to their Reserve/COVID-19 list, bringing the net gain of the team to four.

So that is good news, great news, in fact.

It’s been a roller-coaster ride for the team and fans over the past seven days, a ride that began on December 11th with the news of the team adding running back Darrell Henderson’s name to the team’s Reserve/COVID-19 list. Since that time, the Rams roster has been depleted quickly, with daily assignments moving anywhere from two to nine players off the active roster.

So far, the players have been moving in just one direction – off the roster and onto the reserve list. As many as 29 players were categorized as recently as December 17th to the COVID roster. But now, the migration of players runs in both directions, and hopefully, the restoration of players will continue to outpace the removal until the team is fully restored once more.

Rams Roster role call

With so many subtractions, and now six news additions, it’s easy to be confused over the Rams healthy 53-man roster right now. Who do the LA Rams have available now? Well, we know that both Odell Beckham Jr. and Darrell Henderson are back. Right now, with the six restorations and two subtractions, we have the following names on the active roster:

Offense Actives (19)

Offensive linemen: Brian Allen, Austin Corbett, David Edwards, AJ Jackson, Coleman Shelton, Andrew Whitworth
Quarterbacks: Matthew Stafford, John Wolford, Bryce Perkins
Running backs: Darrell Henderson, Sony Michel, Mekhi Sargent
Tight ends: Kendall Blanton, Brycen Hopkins
Wide receivers: Odell Beckham Jr., Van Jefferson, Cooper Kupp, Brandon Powell, Ben Skowronek

Defense Actives (18)

Defensive backs: Dont’e Deayon, David Long Jr., Darious Williams
Defensive line: Bobby Brown III, Marquise Copeland, Aaron Donald, Greg Gaines, Michael Hoecht, A’Shawn Robinson
Linebackers: Anthony Hines, Justin Hollins, Ernest Jones, Jamir Jones
Outside linebackers: Leonard Floyd, Chris Garrett, Terrell Lewis
Safeties: Taylor Rapp, Nick Scott

Special teams Actives (3)
Kicker Matt Gay
Long snapper Matthew Orzech
Punter Johnny Hekker

Even now, you can see just how perilous the LA Rams roster is. As of December 18, the team has just five players to fill secondary spots, also, the team has just six healthy offensive linemen, and none with any experience of starting at the very critical position of offensive right tackle.

Word is that the LA Rams will be getting more players back as Sunday, December 19, progresses. One such name hinted at in reports is that of defensive back Jalen Ramsey, a player who will certainly be a welcome addition to the active roster.

NFL/NFLPA revised protocols (again)

The Rams are benefitting from the return of players, but that is not simply a random bit of good fortune.  The NFL and NFLPA have once again revised the safety protocols of both testing and returning players to the active roster.

Per the video below, both sides have agreed to modify the methods of testing for COVID-19.

In short, a significant majority of fully vaccinated players were either asymptomatic or suffered from very mild symptoms. So what does that all mean? It means that the NFL will no longer be doing 100 percent testing for COVID-19. For the exact memo on the topic, see Ian Rapport’s tweet below:

What it means is that the NFL and NFLPA, in consultation with medical experts, believe the prevalence of the new Omicron variant to be a more contagious but milder form of COVID-19. Therefore, they have agreed to reduce the number of, and the methods used to, test players going forward.

Now, the testing of players is focusing upon “targeted testing.”  That is defined per the memo (above) in one of three categories:

I – Symptomatic Individuals: Any fully vaccinated person who reports any symptoms consistent with COVID-19 related symptoms are to be isolated and tested immediately

II – Targetted Testing: The NFL will conduct periodic targetted tests of fully vaccinated players (random sample testing).

III – High-Risk Vaccinated Contact: A vaccinated player who may be in close contact with anyone who tests positive for COVID among staff or players are to be tested per team Chief Medical Officer (CMO) specifications.

IV – Voluntary Testing: Anyone can request a test or home-test kit to test family members at team expense.

Of course, anyone who is not considered fully vaccinated will continue to be tested on a daily basis.

The rules for the booster shot to remain ‘fully vaccinated’ may not be specifically addressed in the latest revision. But the NFL has mandated that Tier 1  (coaches, and trainers) and Tier 2 (general managers and front office staff) must receive a booster shot by December 27, 2021.  Due to the consensus of getting a booster six months after the second vaccine, the mandate covers those persons who received the Pfizer or Moderna shot more than six months ago and those who received a Johnson and Johnson shot more than two months ago.

Per several reports, a booster mandate is not yet required of players.

By the time you finish reading this article, there may be more and new developments to this story. Stay tuned.