There has been plenty of speculation regarding the new pecking order in the backfield for the Los Angeles Rams heading into the 2020 NFL season now that they have parted ways with Todd Gurley.
Rams head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead managed to take precautions by taking running back Darrell Henderson in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft and following it up with running back Cam Akers in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Although the Rams have ushered in a bit of a youth movement, running back Malcolm Brown remains the most experienced option to help fill the void left by Gurley. It appears he plans on taking full advantage of it this season.
Brown has become well-accustomed to taking full advantage of his opportunities when his number was called as the No. 2 behind Gurley. He feels his consistency should serve as stabilizing factor for this group, via Stu Jackson of the team’s official website:
Rams RB Malcolm Brown on potentially having a bigger role entering his sixth season:
"It's important to me. I tell guys all the time, I take pride in my consistency, being able to stay in this league for this long."
— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) August 10, 2020
Brown’s comments are indicative of the approach he has taken since establishing himself with the Rams as a former undrafted free agent. It has clearly paid huge dividends after the team decided to match the two-year, $3.3 million contract offer from the Detroit Lions last offseason when he was tendered as a restricted free agent.
After reaching the end zone just once during the 2018 campaign, Brown became a red zone vulture in the backfield with five rushing touchdowns last season. He will now be tasked with serving as a veteran presence to help balance out the young talent Los Angeles has assembled in recent years.
His sole goal this season is to take on a leadership role for the team’s young running backs:
Rams RB Malcolm Brown on his personal goal this season:
"My goal is to take on that (leadership) role and make sure I do a good job of it."
— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) August 10, 2020
Of course, it remains to be seen just how the pecking order will shake out in training camp. Brown certainly has good reason to be confident in his chances given his experience with the offense. Not to mention, the restrictions placed in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic this offseason have offered up its own set of challenges for rookies trying to get properly acclimated to life in the NFL.
McVay and Snead have indicated that they will likely go with a backfield-by-committee approach to start the season with Brown getting the early-down and red zone work. Regardless, their roles may very well fluctuate based on overall performance and tempo of each game.
