The Los Angeles Rams are more conservative than many other NFL teams when it comes to how much they risk injury by playing first-stringers in the preseason.
Despite their caution, however, they may already have lost a starter for at least part of the regular season when linebacker Micah Kiser went down with a pectoral injury against the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday.
Kiser was expected to play an important role in a linebacker corps that is a relatively weak spot within the loaded Rams’ roster. Still, head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead augmented the position by bringing in longtime Green Bay Packer Clay Matthews as well as re-signing Dante Fowler Jr. in free agency.
McVay says the team will rely on its internal depth to replace Kiser for now, per Stu Jackson of The Rams.com:
“I wouldn’t say bringing in a veteran. I would say whether it be any position on our team. But we have a lot of confidence in Bryce and some of these younger players. To say that we’re going to go outside to look for an answer right now wouldn’t be accurate, but we’re always going to be in the position of, whether it be when it be when it gets to cutdowns or if guys become available, if we feel like it’s something that can upgrade our roster and create a competitive situation, not exclusive to that linebacker spot but really any spot, those are things that Les and his group and our coaching staff, we’re always looking at.”
The Rams selected Kiser with the 147th overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft. He made two special teams tackles but never played a snap on defense in his rookie season. However, he was being groomed to take over Mark Barron’s linebacker position after Barron left for the Pittsburgh Steelers this past offseason.
Kiser reportedly underwent surgery on his pectorals on Tuesday and will be out indefinitely. Before entering the NFL, he was three-year starter with the University of Virginia, making the all-ACC first team in each of those three seasons.
McVay also recently said that Bryce Hager will get the first crack at replacing Hager, although the team also has some other young linebackers that should see increased playing time.
