The Los Angeles Rams are bound to make several changes to their roster this offseason leading into the 2020 campaign, especially with three coaches no longer with the team. Whether it’s backups working their way into starting roles or free agents and rookies taking over, there will be a lot of new faces next season.
There will also be younger players who will develop and find themselves in bigger roles. These four players, in particular, could become bigger parts of the offense and defense, depending on how the offseason goes for them.
RB Darrell Henderson
Henderson came into the NFL with a great deal of hype surrounding him – especially after Les Snead said he gave the Rams a “Kamara element” at running back. His rookie season came and went without much flare, however. He carried the ball 39 times for 147 yards, catching only four passes for 37 yards.
In a season where Todd Gurley missed one game and was clearly on a load management plan, it’s mind-blowing that Henderson didn’t get more opportunities. He only carried the ball 10 times in the second half of the season, with 22 of his 39 attempts coming in Weeks 7 and 8 against the lowly Bengals and Falcons.
Henderson averaged only 5.6 attempts per broken tackle, compared to Gurley’s rate of 10.6. He eluded defenders at a high rate and showed he can be an effective runner in the NFL. Next season, he deserves a larger role – whether Gurley is back or not.