Surprisingly, the latest Rams roster moves rewards a fearless contributor

I won't lie. Occasionally I get sucked into rooting for a player on the LA Rams roster because they strike a chord. Whether the player shows no quit and continues to give his all on the football field, he is a long-shot to make the team because he never heard his name called out in an NFL Draft, or he simply embodies the maturity and selflessness that I admire most in a football player, I cannot say. But ultimately one or two players seem to end up in that category.

And right now, that player is WR Xavier Smith.

He is not a guy who is expected to put up 1000+ receiving yards in 2024. He is not even getting many opportunities in the offense this year. He has appeared in three games, has played just 10 offensive snaps, and has caught both passes thrown his way for six yards.

But his first punt return for the LA Rams, a 36-yarder with time running out in Week 3, is the stuff that makes lifelong memories. He set up the team to win that game against the dreaded San Francisco 49ers, That play was so incredible that HC Sean McVay vowed to find Xavier Smith a roster spot. Now, heading into Week 7, that promise will be realized.

The LA Rams are getting solid special teams play this season, despite their 1-4 record. Thanks to PR Xavier Smith, the team is averaging 13.4 yards per punt return, good enough for sixth-place in the NFL so far. The team is not as superb on kickoff returns, but the team's 27.0 yards per kickoff return is good enough to come in at 15th-place.

That's a huge improvement over last season. While the improvement has not yet contributed to a winning record, the team's lone victory is directly attributed to Xavier Smith heroics. Based on his early success, the team can expect significant contributions from Smith for the rest of the season.

As always, thanks for reading.

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