Van Jefferson to IR? LA Rams roster chaotic hits keep coming

Rams Roster Move I: Van Jefferson to IR

It appears that the LA Rams’ belief in WR3 Van Jefferson’s ability to rebound was not realized. Van Jefferson’s knee was injured during the 2021 NFL season. After winning Super Bowl LVI, Jefferson underwent corrective surgery that led to being medically cleared to compete. But by August 2022, he reaggravated the knee, and a second medical procedure was performed to clean up what one report described as a ‘loose body under the knee‘.

Repairing the knee is a tricky business. While the NFL hasn’t seemed to have had the same frequency of meniscus tears as the NBA, the NBA’s track record for those types of knee injuries is fairly unpredictable.  Placing Van Jefferson on IR now locks him off the roster until a minimum of the end of October. Even then, he will need time to get back into game-playing shape.

Rams Roster Move II: DB Grant Haley to the active roster

While the LA Rams reinforced the active roster by signing defensive back Shaun Jolly, the defense needs help now. The LA Rams secondary faces the Arizona Cardinals without DB Troy Hill (IR), DB Cobie Durant (Out, Hamstring), DB David Long (Out, Groin), and likely without DB Jordan Fuller (Questionable, Hamstring).

Right now, the team will likely be committed to going with a secondary of Jalen Ramsey, Nick Scott, Taylor Rapp, and Robert Rochell, with additional secondary support made up of Derion Kendrick and Terrell Burgess.  But that nearly exhausts the players on the active roster. Signing Grant Haley may not signify rotational time in Week 3. But it’s a very wise move, as the team is razor thin with healthy and experienced DBs this week.