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This LA Rams news is even better than pulling off a comeback win at SoFi Stadium

Better than stealing 49ers fans souls? I think you will agree that this is even better news from Week 3.

ByBret Stuter|
Jul 29, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, general manager Les Snead and chief of staff Carter Crutchfield talk on the field during training camp at Loyola Marymount University. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Jul 29, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, general manager Les Snead and chief of staff Carter Crutchfield talk on the field during training camp at Loyola Marymount University. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Another NFL week, another laundry list of injuries that will set the LA Rams roster back once more. But in Week 3, Rams fans got more than great news about a win over their nemesis, the NFL West Division rivals, the San Francisco 49ers. Fans were also ecstatic to hear that they did not lose anyone to new injuries. That's right, the Rams actually played a game in 2024 without suffering more injuries to an already depleted roster.

It's quite possibly the best possible news to emerge from Week 3.

No hype. No cap. No drama. No exaggeration. The best possible news.

The reeling Rams roster simply cannot hope to win anything if the teams two or more players to injuries each week. This team had one of their deepest rosters since hiring Sean McVay to be the head coach. But after just two games, the depth was gone, too many backups are starting, and the front office has been signing football players off the streets in hopes of reinforcing precariously thin depth.

The NFL allows teams to restore up to eight players from IR each season. Right now, the Rams roster has:

  • IR Designation: 9 players
  • IR - Designated to return: 2 players
  • IR - PUP Designation: 1 player

While DB Derion Kendrick is ineligible to return from IR (he was sent to IR as part of the team's actions to get to the 53-man limit on the active roster, the team has 11 players to squeeze into 8 restorations. Three players currently on IR will not return to the active roster.

It's the saturation of IR moves back to the Rams roster that had compelled the team to withhold injured wide receiver Cooper Kupp from IR. But limited moves are not the full picture.

With each newly injured player, the front office must act to replace that player's spot on the roster. And that depletes their salary cap. Not just in 2024, but in any potential carry-forward residual for the 2025 NFL season. Right now, Spotrac.com lists the Rams with just $3.6 million in available cap space. While the team is in good shape in 2025 (thanks to a roster loaded with young players on rookie contracts), the team cannot be irresponsible.

Money matters. The more the team spends today, the less the team can spend tomorrow. Thanks to a fantastic Week 3, the front office is not forced to scramble to plug more roster holes.

Let's hope that trend continues.

Thanks for reading.

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