L.A. Rams position outlook 2021: Running backs
Cam Akers emerged as the every-down back during the second half of the season in 2020 for the Los Angeles Rams. Darrell Henderson Jr. also showed he can be a productive runner in the NFL last season when he’s healthy. Those two, young running back should provide a nice, 1-2 punch for the Rams heading into 2021.
Locks: Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson Jr.
On the bubble: Xavier Jones, Ray Calais
Free agents: Malcolm Brown
The good: Akers, a rookie second-round draft pick out of Florida State, played to his potential after dealing with a nagging rib injury and learning a new offense the first half of the year. Akers finished with 748 total yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns during the regular season. And Akers finished with 272 total yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns in two playoff games. Henderson proved more than capable of handling a full workload in the first half of the year, totaling 624 rushing yards and six total touchdowns in 15 games played, including 11 starts. Brown did a nice job in goal line and short yardage situations, finishing with five total touchdowns. Jones, and undrafted rookie out of SMU, flashed elusiveness as a runner during training camp and Calais brings quickness, speed and playmaking ability as a returner.
The bad: Akers and Henderson had trouble staying healthy. Akers dealt with a rib injury that forced him to miss two games early in the year and suffered a high-ankle sprain late in the year the forced him to miss another game. Henderson dealt with ankle and hamstring injuries during the year and finished 2020 on the injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain. Despite having regular success running the football, the Rams at times did not always lean on the running game, putting the game in Jared Goff’s hands with mixed results.
The money: Akers is scheduled to make $890,592 in base salary in 2021. Henderson is scheduled to make $878,832 next season. Jones and Calais are slated to make $780,000 in base salary in 2021.
Draft priority: With Brown a pending free agent and unlikely to return, the Rams should add a speed back to add to the mix as a Day 3 pick. And with tight end Gerald Everett set to hit free agency -- he served as the team’s fullback last year -- the Rams could consider drafting a true fullback to provide more diversity on offense. Running a similar offense to the Rams, San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan has successfully used a fullback in his zone running scheme, and Sean McVay should consider adding more two-back formations to take advantage of Akers and Henderson’s unique skill set.
