3 reasons why LA Rams rushing offense is concerning for 2022

Reason II: Rams rehabbing running backs

Just from a glance, it seems that the LA Rams simply have too many players rehabbing in the same offseason. The team’s running back room is a solid collection of players who were banged around pretty hard in 2021. The challenge is that coming off injury comes with risks. Right now, each running back on the LA Rams roster has some exposure to those risks.

Right now, the team has signed RB Javian Hawkins signed to a Reserve/Future contract. But veterans Cam Akers (Achilles Tendon), Darrell Henderson Jr. (MCL sprain, hamstring), and Jake Funk (torn hamstring) are all returning from significant 2021 injuries. So the question is, how recovered are they projected to be for the 2022 NFL season?

The LA Rams faced the 2021 season without Akers and took almost every precaution to bubble wrap backup Henderson to ensure he would be available throughout the season. But Henderson’s durability, or lack thereof, thwarted those plans as he was only available for 12 of the Rams’ 17 games last year.

LA Rams roster is rather shaky at running back

That would not pose a major problem to the offense if the team was stocked with rushers. But the Rams lost backups Xavier Jones (Achilles) and Raymond Calais (foot) before the season started, lost Cam Akers (Achilles) before the season started, and then had to struggle with the can-he-play? questions over Henderson Jr. throughout 2021.

Now, the Rams are about to enter the 2022 season with the same rushers as 2021, but this season with them coming off season-ending or disrupting injuries? It just appears to be a rather rosy-colored glasses perspective for the new year, doesn’t it? Do the Rams have some trick up their sleeve? Or is the plan really to send out the same group in 2022, and not only bank that they are all fully recovered, but that they can pick up where they left off, and perhaps even play better football than they ever have in their careers?

And some accuse me of being overly optimistic?!