Random Ramsdom: Will the Rams opt for RB by committee this season?

Will Zach Evans Compete With Cam Akers For Rams RB Touches? (SportsIllustrated)

“The Los Angeles Rams looked like a shell of their Super Bowl selves last season with the team as a whole regressing, that included running back Cam Akers, so could he lose his job to a rookie in 2023?

Through the first 12 weeks of the season, the 2020 second-round pick looked like his career was coming to an underwhelming conclusion, averaging roughly 10 touches per game for a mere 32 yards.

However, from Week 13 on, he was dominant. He averaged a touchdown per game, 4.9 yards per carry, with 50 percent of his rushing yards coming after contact, and ranking eighth in evaded tackles per attempt with 18.5 touches per game.”

Rams waive rookie RB Tiyon Evans (RamsWire)

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“The Los Angeles Rams are thinning out their backfield a little bit as they progress through OTAs. On Tuesday, they announced they have waived rookie running back Tiyon Evans.

The Rams signed Evans as an undrafted free agent this offseason but his time with the team has already come to an end. Evans had an uphill climb to making the 53-man roster with Cam Akers, Kyren Williams and Zach Evans essentially locked in as the top three running backs, with Ronnie Rivers also competing at the position.

In eight games at Louisville last season, Evans rushed for 525 yards with six touchdowns on the ground.”

Do or Bye, there is no try season for these 9 LA Rams veterans (RamblinFan)

“Fish or cut bait is a saying that means either act or stop saying that you will act. There are other, more colorful phrases, with similar meanings, but for the LA Rams they all turn out to say the same thing. Either step up and deliver this season, or step away. And for the LA Rams, I’m not convinced that each player on this list has one more ‘shot’ left.

Whether it’s a question of opportunity, durability, bad luck, or just bad timing, the Rams roster would be far more dangerous and respected if these players had delivered on their potential. Some have flashed that potential, giving indications in a smaller role or with a smaller sample size that they have what it takes to show up on a bigger stage, in a brighter spotlight, and deliver in a bigger role.

Others simply showed that potential in the past, whether in college, in Rams training camp, and they hope is that their current positional coaches can unlock whatever that potential may be. That is easier said than done this season, because the LA Rams offseason positional battles are incredibly fierce this season.”

Lions Coach Dan Campbell Says Jared Goff ‘Better QB’ Than With Rams (SportsIllustrated)

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“More than two years have passed since the Los Angeles Rams traded quarterback Jared Goff to the Detroit Lions in a blockbuster.

It may not have seemed like it at first, but the change in scenery may have been the best thing for Goff. The 28-year-old quarterback found his footing late in 2022, nearly leading Detroit to the playoffs while posting great numbers in the latter half of the season. As the Lions look to assert themselves as contenders going forward, Goff seems to be the guy under center.

But is he better now than he was with the Rams, the team he led to a Super Bowl LIII appearance? For Lions head coach Dan Campbell, the answer to that question is a resounding “yes.”

“He hung in there and I think what you’re seeing is a guy who just put his head down and worked on what he could, tried to improve on what he could, and now his confidence is really, it has grown, and along the way, he’s matured as a quarterback,” Campbell said Tuesday. “I mean, he’s a better quarterback than he was there [with the Rams] in my opinion because he can do more things. He’s mentally on it.”

PFF ranks Brian Allen as the 12th-best center in the NFL (RamsWire)

“Brian Allen’s first five seasons in the NFL have been a rollercoaster. He didn’t start until Year 2, and when he did take the reins at center, he was limited to nine games in 2019 and missed the entire 2020 season with a knee injury.

He bounced back in a big way as Pro Football Focus’ sixth-highest-graded center in the NFL in 2021, but once again, he missed significant time due to injury last season. So where does he stand heading into the upcoming season, his sixth as a pro?

PFF surprisingly believes he’ll be one of the better players at his position. The site ranked Allen as the 12th-best center in the NFL for 2023, citing his strong performance in 2021.”