The Rams will have one of their starting wide receivers back on Monday night against the Ravens as Brandin Cooks is set to return from a concussion, but Robert Woods’ situation isn’t nearly as clear-cut.
Woods was inactive last week against the Bears due to a family matter and he remained away from the team through the early portion of the week. He returned to practice on Thursday and was with the team for their final session on Saturday, but he’s still not certain to play against Baltimore.
Sean McVay said Woods’ status is “looking good” but wouldn’t commit to the wideout playing Monday night.
“It’s looking good, but like we’ve said and kind of like he said the other day, we’re just taking it a day at a time,” McVay said. “It’s been great having him back around here. I know everybody feeds off his energy. He’s had a good week of practice, really, a good two days I should say. We’re just taking it one day at a time right now. That’s what he and I had discussed and that’s what we are doing.”
If Woods didn’t play on Monday night, it wouldn’t be for physical reasons. It would be because of his family situation, which seems to be an ongoing matter.
“He is good physically. It’s just making sure that’s the No. 1 priority – that situation. That’s just kind of taking it a day at a time with that,” McVay said.
“Things are looking good, but out of respect for him, with everything that is going on we just said, ‘Let’s just take it one day at a time, keep the main thing your family. That’s the No. 1 priority, football comes next,’” he continued. “If it means that nothing ends up inhibiting his ability to take care of both and he can be a part of this thing on Monday night, we are a better football team and that would be good for all of us.”
The Rams have kept the matter in-house out of respect for Woods and his family, so it’s not clear what the wide receiver has been handling. The team would love to have him back and Woods would certainly like to play, but as he said this past week, football is his job, and his family comes before work.