It is no secret that the linebacker corps has been the biggest question mark for the Los Angeles Rams heading into the 2020 NFL season.
Although linebacker Micah Kiser has emerged as a clear-cut starter on the inside, it remains to be seen which of the remaining, untested options will fill in alongside him come Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys.
Linebacker Travin Howard had established himself as the starter for the bulk of training camp. Unfortunately, a knee injury will cause him to miss the entire 2020 season.
Howard’s absence has opened the door for linebacker Kenny Young to get some quality first-team reps. According to Stu Jackson of the team’s official website, he managed to make a solid impression on head coach Sean McVay:
That spot has belonged to Travin Howard for most of camp, but Howard didn’t participate in today’s scrimmage because of a knee injury, per McVay. Howard is still being evaluated. “(Young) stepped up, he did a nice job today and we’re going to continue evaluating that spot,” McVay said, later adding that the reason why he likes Young in that spot is because of his “athleticism” and him being an “explosive playmaker.”
While Howard may have been the first pick to take over as the starter, McVay’s comments indicate that they were just as high on some of their other options.
The preseason being cancelled has presented the Rams with its own set of challenges when it comes to filling out the notable voids left on the roster. Howard going down with an injury was hardly ideal given the ongoing position battle.
Regardless, it is encouraging to see Young taking full advantage of his increased role by turning heads at camp. He has had to overcome quite the learning curve following his arrival during the 2019 campaign as part of the trade that included cornerback Marcus Peters. Being able to spend an entire offseason with his new team has seemingly helped pay some dividends.
Given the relative inexperience with this group, the Rams could be expecting some growing pains early on. The sheer amount of depth at their disposal indicates they could be looking to examine this situation on a game-by-game basis to start the season.
For now, Young appears to have strengthened his bid to become a starter with Young out for the year.
