Tag: Hunter Long

Sean McVay explains why Colby Parkinson’s role has shrunk significantly

Colby Parkinson went from playing almost every snap to being a backup, and Sean McVay explained why that is

With the Rams’ offense struggling, Sean McVay is looking for ways to get things back on track. One of the most notable changes in the last two weeks has been Colby Parkinson’s role.

A big free-agent addition, Parkinson’s playing time has dropped significantly in the last two weeks, seeing the field for just 43 total snaps after playing 46 snaps alone in Week 8. Against the Dolphins on Monday night, he was barely involved. He played just 11 total snaps and for the second straight week, he wasn’t targeted a single time.

Davis Allen has seemingly taken over as the top tight end on the depth chart and he’s coming off a five-catch game against Miami. On Wednesday, McVay was asked if Parkinson’s healthy considering how little he’s played, and he shared a bit about what’s led to that change.

“He is,” McVay said. “What we’re looking at is, I think (TEs coach Nick) Caley does a great job with those tight ends. It’s really just we’ve had some different personnel groupings and it’s really trying to maximize those three guys, both Davis, Hunter (Long), and obviously Colby. They’ve done some good things, but I think the strength of the unit is in that unit and being able to get all those guys involved.”

Parkinson was underperforming as a starter, catching just 23 passes for 214 yards so far this season. He’s also had his struggles as a blocker in the run game, and an illegal formation penalty against the Seahawks in Week 9 didn’t help his case, either.

It sounds like all three tight ends will continue to play each week but Parkinson has clearly fallen out of favor with the coaching staff in recent weeks and he may not go back to playing 80-plus percent of the snaps again.

Rams, Lions have 4 former Dolphins in wild-card matchup

Former Dolphins who will play in Rams-Lions wild-card game.

The Miami Dolphins have been eliminated from the postseason following their 27-6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday night.

So, while Dolphins fans prepare for the offseason, there are a number of former Dolphins who are still playing for a Super Bowl championship that they can support.

On Sunday, the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions are set to battle in a wild-card matchup of their own, and there are four former Dolphins on their rosters and practice squads.

Here’s a look at which players who once donned the aqua and orange will play in this one:

Rams release Mason Crosby, make 3 other roster moves

The Rams released Mason Crosby, a show of confidence in Lucas Havrisik. They also placed 2 players on IR and signed a long snapper.

The Los Angeles Rams brought in Mason Crosby a week ago in order to create some competition at kicker, but his time with the team was short-lived. The Rams announced on Tuesday that Crosby has been released from the practice squad.

Lucas Havrisik made three field goals and two extra-point attempts in Sunday’s loss to the Ravens, which Sean McVay was encouraged by. It seems the Rams will stick with him for at least another week with Crosby now out of the picture.

Additionally, the Rams made a few other roster moves. They placed Hunter Long on injured reserve with an MCL injury, which will require surgery. Long snapper Alex Ward was also placed on IR due to a stinger suffered Sunday, so the Rams brought in Carson Tinker to replace him for at least the next four weeks.

The Rams’ special teams unit has struggled all season, and it’s not going to help that they’re forced to make a change at long snapper with Ward injured. Tinker was previously with the Rams late in the 2021 season, spending the end of that season on the practice squad.

Rams TE Hunter Long carted off with knee injury, doubtful to return

With Tyler Higbee inactive, the Rams suffered another injury at tight end with Hunter Long hurting his knee and needing to be carted off

The Rams came into Sunday’s game against the Ravens without Tyler Higbee, who’s out with a neck injury. To make matters worse, Hunter Long suffered an apparent leg injury in the second quarter and had to be carted off the field.

The injury occurred on a punt by the Rams.

Long, Davis Allen and Brycen Hopkins are the Rams’ only active tight ends in this game, so they’re down to just Allen and Hopkins now with Long potentially out for the rest of the day.

The Rams announced that Long is doubtful to return, he’s likely done for the afternoon.

Sean McVay speaks on playing Davis Allen, Hunter Long more in Week 12 vs. Cardinals

Sean McVay explained why the Rams felt comfortable giving more reps to Davis Allen and Hunter Long in Week 12 vs. the Cardinals.

The Los Angeles Rams are a team that runs their offense almost exclusively out of 11 personnel. But after Sunday’s win over the Arizona Cardinals, Sean McVay discussed why Davis Allen and Hunter Long got more snaps alongside Tyler Higbee in Week 12.

“Yeah, I think it was just what you mentioned,” McVay said. “Those guys have done a good job in practice. I think we wanted to make a concerted effort to be able to get some other guys some snaps. Higs has done such a good job, but to take a little bit off his workload just considering all the work that he’s gotten, continue to develop the depth at that position. (TEs coach) Nick Caley has done a really good job. Then we had another guy that wasn’t active who’s more than capable of filling in and playing snaps when he’s done that in previous games with Brycen Hopkins, as well.”

The Rams made Hopkins a healthy scratch ahead of Sunday’s matchup against the Cardinals, which paved the way for Allen and Long to get more reps. Allen received nine offensive snaps, while Long was on the field for 15 offensive snaps in the lopsided victory.

While Allen and Long combined for one catch for 6 yards, their contributions in the run game didn’t go unnoticed. The Rams would rush for 228 yards, with Kyren Williams and Royce Freeman accounting for 220 of those yards.

On the season, the Rams have run their offense out of 11 personnel at a 92 percent rate. In Week 12 versus the Cardinals, the Rams were in 11 personnel 89 percent of the time, and the other 11 percent was spent in 12 personnel. That was tied for the third-highest rate of running 12 personnel for the Rams this season.

Even though Higbee remains the starting tight end — and he caught his first two touchdowns of the season in Week 12 — we could see more of Allen and Long down the stretch.

Rams activate TE Hunter Long off injured reserve

The Rams have activated Hunter Long off injured reserve, making him eligible to play this week against Seattle

Rams fans will finally get a look at the player Los Angeles received in the Jalen Ramsey trade. The Rams announced on Tuesday that tight end Hunter Long has been activated off injured reserve. He’s been on IR all season but has now been added to the 53-man roster, making him eligible to play as early as Sunday.

Long missed most of training camp with a groin injury before being sidelined with a thigh issue during the regular season.

In addition to a third-round pick, the Rams received Long in the Ramsey deal with the Dolphins. Long has just one catch for 8 yards in 16 games played, but there’s hope he can contribute in Los Angeles and perhaps give Tyler Higbee a breather every now and then.

McVay: Cooper Kupp, Stetson Bennett going on IR is a ‘definite possibility’

Sean McVay said it’s a “definite possibility” that Cooper Kupp, Stetson Bennett and Hunter Long will go on IR

Cooper Kupp, Stetson Bennett and Hunter Long have all been ruled out for the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, but they’re also in danger of missing more time.

Sean McVay said on Friday that there’s a “definite possibility” that they could each land on injured reserve, which would sideline them for at least four games. Kupp has a hamstring injury, Bennett has a shoulder issue and Long is still dealing with a thigh injury.

The Rams have to make that decision by Saturday afternoon if they want those players to only miss the first four games of the season, rather than pushing it off for another week and sidelining them through Week 5.

It’s a big decision, particularly for Kupp, because it would open up a roster spot if any of the three is placed on injured reserve.

Kupp injured his hamstring in early August and suffered a setback last week, which McVay says isn’t in line with the expected recovery timetable for a hamstring injury like that.

At the very least, it seems the Rams will be without Kupp for the first two games of the season and potentially even longer.

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Sean McVay hopes TE Hunter Long returns soon, unsure if he’ll start season on PUP

Hunter Long has been on the PUP list since the start of camp and it’s not certain he’ll be ready for Week 1

In addition to a third-round pick, the Los Angeles Rams also received tight end Hunter Long from the Miami Dolphins in the trade for Jalen Ramsey. Long was expected to compete for playing time behind Tyler Higbee but it’s been a frustrating summer for the third-year tight end.

Long has been on the PUP list since the start of training camp due to an undisclosed injury, which has caused him to miss not only two preseason games, but valuable practice time in the last month or so.

Sean McVay still doesn’t know when Long is going to return to the field and when asked about it on Wednesday, he wouldn’t rule out the tight end starting the year on the PUP list.

“I’m not sure about that. I hope that he can get out here,” McVay said. “I know he has really worked hard to try to be available. It’s been incredibly frustrating for him and he’s doing everything that he can.”

If Long were to start the year on the PUP list, he would be forced to miss the first four games of the season. He wouldn’t take up a spot on the 53-man roster, though, which is the real reason the Rams might consider that decision.

Long is squarely behind Higbee, Brycen Hopkins and Davis Allen on the depth chart and the more time he misses, the more likely it is that he’ll sit out regular-season games, too.

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McVay still unsure when Derion Kendrick, Hunter Long and Davis Allen will return from injury

Sean McVay still doesn’t know when Derion Kendrick, Hunter Long and Davis Allen will return, but he wants them back “as quickly as possible”

Every team in the NFL is hoping to avoid serious injuries during training camp and for the most part, the Los Angeles Rams did just that. Sure, Cooper Kupp has been sidelined by a hamstring injury, but it’s nothing that will affect his Week 1 status.

Elsewhere on the injury front, the Rams have been missing three young players who are competing for snaps: Derion Kendrick, Hunter Long and Davis Allen. All three have been sidelined for more than a week with soft-tissue injuries, causing them to miss the Rams’ padded practices in camp.

Sean McVay was asked about their statuses on Tuesday and he didn’t have much of an update, other than to say they’re day-to-day.

He expressed a heightened level of urgency with all three, hoping they can return as quickly as possible because they’re missing valuable practice time.

“Those guys are really day-to-day. I wish I had a better answer for you. We’re truly taking it a day at a time,” McVay said. “With those soft tissues, it’s more about once Reggie (Scott) and Justin Lovett and (John Griffin) and Zach Witherspoon and those guys can test them out where they can really open up in some of those controlled settings, you get a feel for when they’re hitting some of those high-speed yards. All right, are they ready to return back to performance? Because it’s one thing to return to play. It’s another thing to return to performance. But we need to get those guys back out here as quickly as possible because we can’t afford to waste this time. But we’re also not gonna get caught up in things we can’t control. I’m hopeful those guys will be out here sooner than later.”

Of the three, Kendrick is expected to have the most significant role this season. He’s competing to be a starting cornerback but since he’s been sidelined, Ahkello Witherspoon has risen up the depth chart with some impressive play in practice. Robert Rochell could also jump Kendrick if he plays well in the preseason.

It doesn’t sound like Kendrick, Long or Allen will be ready to play in the preseason opener on Saturday but there’s still a chance they’ll heal quickly enough this week to play a few snaps against the Chargers.

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7 takeaways from Rams’ 3rd day of training camp

Here are 7 takeaways from the Rams’ 3rd day of training camp practices on Saturday.

The Los Angeles Rams held an open practice session for fans on Saturday for the third day of training camp. Position battles continue to take place, and some players are catching the eye of fans and the coaching staff in hopes to secure a role on the roster.

There were a handful of storylines that took place on the third day of training camp, including the sudden retirement of Sony Michel and the passing game being the star of the show. With the Rams looking to improve each day, here are seven takeaways from the team’s third practice session.