LA Rams increase roster by signing a dozen familiar faces

Offensive skill players (2)

While the presence of running back Javian Hawkins has not aided the LA Rams offense just yet, I wouldn’t count him out of the mix going forward. In spite of the hopes and optimism of the LA Rams rushing offense throughout the 2021 NFL season, the Rams simply were ineffective at running the football. Of course, that may have been due to the rampant injuries that impacted Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson Jr., Xavier Jones, Raymond Calais, Buddy Howell, and even rookie Jake Funk.

Hawkins is along the line of a Henderson type of runner. Standing 5-foot-9 and weighing 196-pounds, he is a fast and elusive running back whose strength is getting past defenders by getting around them, rather than through them. He was a rookie out of Louisville, originally signing on with the Atlanta Falcons before finding his way to the Rams roster. With so many players banged up in 2021, look for him to have a larger role in 2022 as one of the few who remained healthy.

Tight end time

When the LA Rams were in the market for a tight end, it only made sense for them to look up TE Kyle Markway, a former South Carolina Gamecock who has signed on with the New York Giants after the 2020 NFL Draft. Of course, Running Back Coach Thomas Brown was rather familiar with his former player and no doubt directed the Rams to sign him when he was waived.

Markway is a robust 6-foot-4 and weighs 250-pounds. For much of 2021, he was a player who was at the tail end of the practice squad roster. When the Rams needed to make room, he was waived. When the Rams were able to free up an extra roster spot? He was re-signed to the roster. After the Rams’ 2021 experience of several injuries to the tight end position, Markway could find that he has a chance to compete for a larger role on the Rams roster in 2022.