The Los Angeles Rams really haven’t been at full strength all year, particularly along the offensive line. They were without Alaric Jackson and Rob Havenstein in Week 1, and then both Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson went down with injuries. They’ve been sidelined since the first two weeks of the season but they could be nearing a return.
The same goes for John Johnson III, who’s been out since injuring his shoulder in Week 2. All three players are on injured reserve and the Rams have yet to designate any of them to return to practice. On Monday, Sean McVay shared the latest on those three injured stars, saying he’s unsure if they’ll practice this week but he isn’t ruling it out.
“I don’t know that we’re at that point yet but then again, when you guys asked me this about Puka [Nacua] last week, I was surprised,” McVay said. “I have not gotten a chance – I just got the medical updates as it relates to those guys that I’ve mentioned really with Kam Curl and with Neville Gallimore, but usually tomorrow is kind of when we have our checkup on those guys that have been rehabbing. They’re making good progress but as far as this week, I don’t know if I anticipate their status changing and you guys will be the first to know on Wednesday if that does.”
It sounds like they probably won’t be designated to return this week, but as McVay said, he also didn’t anticipate Nacua practicing last week until he got back on the field Wednesday and shined on Thursday Night Football one day later.
In the absence of Avila and Jackson, the Rams have Justin Dedich at left guard and Beaux Limmer at center, and both are playing well at the moment. That doesn’t mean they’ll keep those two rookies as the starters when Avila and Jackson return, but they’re holding down the fort.
Kam Curl and Quentin Lake are also playing well at safety, so the Rams will need to devise a plan for Johnson’s return and figure out where he fits. One good possibility is starting him next to Curl and moving Lake back to the slot where he’s excelled.