Dean Connors can force Rams into difficult Ronnie Rivers decision

Dean Connors is officially official. After being promoted from the practice squad last week, the undrafted rookie running back was signed Tuesday to the Los Angeles Rams' 53-man roster, where he will fill Ronnie Rivers' role. On injured reserve with a calf injury, Rivers must miss at least the next three games. 

Safety Tanner Ingle was waived to make room, but with a practice-squad spot open, he should be back if he clears waivers. 

Connors won't see much, if any action on offense, except in garbage time. His main duties will be on special teams. Against the Broncos, he played nine snaps and returned a kickoff for 23 yards. 

For now, signing Connors to the active roster is by all accounts a temporary move. That doesn't mean it couldn't become something more if the preseason star balls out during Rivers' absence. Rivers might be watching Connors more closely than anyone to make sure he has nothing to worry about.

Rams should take Dean Connors seriously if he plays well in Rivers' absence

Which he doesn't. At least for now. During preseason, head coach Sean McVay called Rivers "the guy he trusts" behind Kyren Williams and Blake Corum in the backfield. That's in part why the Rams felt comfortable trading 2025 fourth-rounder Jarquez Hunter. Rivers is the guy, and will be until further notice.

Of course, circumstances can change fast. If Connors plays well - too well to plant back on the practice squad for fear of being claimed off waivers - his youth and explosiveness could be an advantage in the Rams' roster math.

He has an all-around skillset, both power back and pass-catcher, playmaker and willing blocker. Connors finished off his college career at Rice and Houston with three straight seasons of at least 1100 scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns.

And at 23, he has a longer-term future, as well as more upside, than the 27-year-old Rivers, who also went undrafted.

That said, Rivers has a massive edge in organizational equity and experience. The Rams are unlikely to move on from him during the season, although Connors can make that a serious conversation later. 

Realistically, that's what any 'decision' would come down to: the offseason. If Connors plays too well to cut, perhaps the most probable outcome, once Rivers is healthy, is that LA rosters four backs like they did last season with Hunter. The question is whether that serves any real purpose while other areas need depth. 

The answer is that it doesn't. Make of that what you will. 

This isn't an argument against Rivers, who has been a dependable contributor in his five seasons with the team. At the same time, it would be naive to think the Rams won't be watching Connors, too, to see whether they have a younger, more dynamic upgrade and a painstaking choice ahead, whenever Rivers is ready to return. 

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