It has been a difficult offseason for the Los Angeles Rams amid all of the notable departures from last year’s personnel.
Fortunately, they managed to do some damage control by bringing back defensive tackle Michael Brockers. Things had initially taken a turn for the worst when he reportedly agreed to a deal with the Baltimore Ravens.
The Ravens had some concerns about the ankle sprain Brockers suffered in the 2019 NFL season final and the restrictions placed in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic prevented him from doing a physical with the team. As a result, they decided not to follow through on the deal.
According to ESPN’s Lindsay Thiry, Brockers says the Ravens essentially got cold feet due to the unknown nature of his ankle injury:
“Ultimately [the Ravens], I guess they, you know, kind of just took their contract back, just worried about the past injuries and what the ankle looked like on the MRI,” Brockers said. “So from there, just the contract that they did offer, it was kind of, it was a lot of insecurity.
“I wasn’t secure in the contract. So when the opportunity arose and the opportunity to go to the Rams came back, it was like heaven.”
Brockers added that he has had no problems with his ankle while working out at home:
“I’ve been working out,” Brockers said. “Not grinding, but you know, doing isolated lifts and stuff like that and getting physical therapy on this … so I feel great.”
The update from Brockers is certainly an encouraging one given that the injury had essentially cost him his deal with Baltimore. Fortunately, his comments indicate that he is happy with how it all worked out after signing a three-year deal worth up to $30 million to stay in Los Angeles.
It is no secret that the Rams have endured some significant turnover to their roster this offseason, especially on the defensive side of the ball with the departure of linebackers Cory Littleton and Dante Fowler Jr. in free agency. However, they can at least take solace in the fact that they were able to secure some continuity along the defensive line.
Defensive tackle Aaron Donald is admittedly happy that Los Angeles was finally able to stop the bleeding after parting ways with a number of his close teammates. He and Brockers will now be able to keep their 1-2 punch going up front along with the addition of former Detroit Lions defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson.
