For most rookies, the condensed and virtual offseason did them no favors as they transition from college to the NFL. Rams rookie linebacker Clay Johnston may have actually benefited more from all the Zoom calls and virtual work the team did than he would have from actual OTAs and minicamp.
That’s because Johnston is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in October and had the Rams gone through a normal offseason with on-field work and practices, Johnston would’ve been stuck on the sidelines.
Despite his knee injury, Johnston was able to participate in everything the Rams did this offseason and wasn’t forced to miss any time. That’s a plus in linebackers coach Joe Barry’s eyes, who shared his thoughts on Johnston on the Rams Revealed podcast with J.B. Long.
“Because we were not allowed to do anything from an offseason standpoint, we just had Zoom meetings, Clay’s been able to participate in everything. Where if it would’ve been a normal year where a kid like that comes in with a blown-out knee, he probably wouldn’t have been able to do one OTA. For him, he hasn’t really missed anything because of the circumstances we’re in with the pandemic and everything,” Barry said.
The Rams haven’t said whether Johnston will need to start the season on the PUP list or IR, but the fact that he remains on the active roster is a good sign for his availability this year. Barry doesn’t know exactly when Johnston will be 100% healthy, but the linebacker has been able to do everything in practice up to this point – another good sign for his health.
“We’re keeping our fingers crossed. If we were to put the pads on tomorrow and have a training camp practice, I don’t know if he’d be 100% yet, but like I said, in everything we’ve been able to do so far with players to date, he’s been able to 100% participate, even in everything we’ve been able to do on the field. Hopefully he’ll just keep getting healthier and healthier and healthier,” Barry said.
If Johnston isn’t ready for the start of the season, one potential option is to stash him on the practice squad – though expecting him to slip through waivers would be a risk not worth taking for the Rams.
Barry likes that the NFL increased the size of practice squads, especially for young and injured players.
“The good thing, too, with the way they’ve changed the numbers, they’ve upped the practice squad numbers. So that’s going to help all young players, but a guy like Clay, absolutely,” Barry said.
Barry did clarify that he wasn’t saying Johnston will have a redshirt season in 2020, though.
“I’m not saying that at all, it’s just nice with them doing that, it’s going to help all developmental players, all young players, all guys that come in with a potential injury,” he said.
As for Barry’s evaluation of Johnston, he said he would’ve gone much earlier than the seventh round had he been healthy. Barry wouldn’t put a round on Johnston for a draft grade, but he made it clear that the young linebacker from Baylor slipped further than he should have due to injury.
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