The Los Angeles Rams made a bit of a surprising roster move over the weekend, placing newly-acquired defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson on the Active/Non-Football Injury List.
While the Rams did not announce the reason for it, it is not believed to be coronavirus (COVID-19) related, instead possibly due to a cardiovascular condition that was discovered during the medical process at the start of training camp, as reported by Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic.
That is obviously unfortunate news for both Robinson and the Rams, who can use some help on the defensive line after losing some key players on that side of the ball this offseason.
Rams head coach Sean McVay recently gave an update on Robinson, and is unsure when he will be able to return, via Stu Jackson of TheRams.com:
“He’s able to partake in meetings, get treatment, be around his teammates,” McVay said. “We’ll look forward to getting him back at some point this season. When that is, I don’t know specifically.”
Luckily for the Rams, they were able to bring back veteran defensive lineman Michael Brockers, which McVay is thankful for now that Robinson will miss a significant amount of time:
“Thank the Lord,” McVay said. “I’m so thankful we got him back in general. Before we knew we were going to be fortunate to get Michael back, that was in large part – alright, you really liked A’Shawn Robinson, but it was kind of the vision before Michael got back on board that he was going to be able to fill some of those voids left by Brockers. So to be able to still have him is huge. It’s not just his production on the field either. Watching his growth as a leader and the way guys follow him, the way he goes about his business in everything that the day encompasses, he’s a real joy to be around. Very thankful to have Michael back, without a doubt.”
Brockers has the ability to play both outside and inside, although it could be more of the latter this season with Robinson out. Other defensive tackle options for the Rams in addition to Brockers and Aaron Donald include Sebastian Joseph-Day and Greg Gaines, both of which are promising young players looking for playing time.
With Robinson out now, they should be afforded that opportunity, so it will be up to them to make the most of it.
