The Los Angeles Rams took care of some heavy lifting last week as they reworked Aaron Donald’s contract and rewarded Cooper Kupp with a three-year extension, locking up two of their most important players for the foreseeable future.
However, to fit the new contracts under the salary cap, the Rams waived inside linebacker Travin Howard. He ultimately cleared waivers and became a free agent, allowing him to sign with any team of his choosing.
Rather than explore the open market, it appears Howard is staying with the only organization he’s known. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Rams are re-signing the 26-year-old to a one-year contract:
LB Travin Howard is re-signing with the #Rams today on a one-year deal, per source.
Howard – who turned 26 on Friday – started two games last season for the Super Bowl champs, while recording 21 tackles, 1 INT and 3 passes defensed.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) June 14, 2022
The Rams selected Howard in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft after a stellar career with TCU. He played in all 16 games during his rookie season, making most of his contributions on special teams.
After missing the entire 2020 season due to a knee injury, Howard played in 12 games for the Rams last year (two starts), recording 21 tackles, three passes defended and one interception.
Howard stepped up in the middle when Ernest Jones suffered an ankle injury, and his biggest moment with the Rams came in the NFC Championship Game when he picked off Jimmy Garoppolo to send the team to Super Bowl LVI.
As it currently stands, Howard is third on the inside linebacker depth chart behind Jones and Bobby Wagner, giving the team excellent depth behind two Pro Bowl-caliber starters.
