The Los Angeles Rams have quite a backfield battle brewing between Malcolm Brown, Darrell Henderson and Cam Akers in training camp. Unfortunately, it appears they have suffered their first minor casualty.
The Rams held their first scrimmage at SoFi Stadium this weekend, and Henderson was among those to leave early with an injury.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Henderson suffered a hamstring injury but should be good to go by the time the 2020 NFL season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles rolls around:
#Rams RB Darrell Henderson Jr. suffered a low-grade hamstring strain in last night’s scrimmage — not serious and shouldn’t miss much time, source said. Optimism he’ll be ready for Week 1.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 23, 2020
Rams head coach Sean McVay then confirmed the injury and its severity, via Stu Jackson of TheRams.com:
Rams RB Darrell Henderson suffered a "mild hamstring" injury in the first half of yesterday's scrimmage, per head coach Sean McVay.
McVay's hopeful Henderson will be back in time for Sept. 13 season opener vs. Cowboys.
— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) August 23, 2020
It is certainly encouraging to see that Henderson is not expected to miss any time during the regular season. Regardless, there is no question that the timing of the injury is hardly ideal given the ongoing competition at running back.
Henderson had good reason to be confident about his chances of potentially securing the starting job given his mix of youth and experience in McVay’s system. Unfortunately, this will serve as a major setback in his efforts to establish an integral role in the pecking order with Brown and Akers looking to capitalize on his absence.
Running backs John Kelly and Xavier Jones will also be among those looking to take advantage of the extra reps in practice. Although the preseason being cancelled has limited the opportunities for players on the roster bubble, the longer ramp-up period for training camp should pay some dividends.
Of course, the biggest challenge for every team is making it to the 2020 campaign as healthy as possible. This is now more prevalent than ever given the circumstances with the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The Rams were wise to put an emphasis on shoring upon some quality depth in the backfield even prior to the departure of running back Todd Gurley. McVay and new offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell have already made it clear they will be relying on a committee to help fill the void left by Gurley.
Brown has not been shy about expressing his expectation for an increased role in the offense thanks to the consistency he has displayed over the years. Meanwhile, the rookie Akers continues to turn heads at camp with his versatile skill set. This could be more than enough reason for Henderson to not stay sidelined for too long.
