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http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...-rams-running-back-options-behind-todd-gurley
The offseason is here for the Los Angeles Rams and now that we know where they'll be playing their home games for the long-term, things have settled down enough to spend our weekends answering a few of your Twitter questions.
As always, you can find me on Twitter @nwagoner and fire away with any Rams-related questions you might have. Please use hashtag #RamsMail so I can see them.
On to your questions.
Who will the Rams have as run support for Gurley if Mason is out (poss. suspension from arrest) or unable to return to 2014 form #Ramsmail
@nwagoner: While the Rams listed Tre Mason as the No. 2 back behind Todd Gurley for most of last season, the snaps and playing time would tell a different story. Benny Cunningham is the true backup to Gurley after he played 261 snaps to Mason's 176. Yes, Mason had more carries (75-37) but Cunningham had 26 receptions to Mason's 18. Cunningham also averaged 3.78 yards per carry to Mason's 2.76. Overall, it wasn't a good year for Mason on the field or off of it, where he was deactivated for a game for missing the team bus to the airport. Obviously, Mason hasn't helped his cause this offseason, either. So he still has some proving to do to ensure he has a place on the roster. But Cunningham will be back and with Gurley entrenched as the primary ball carrier, it's probably safe to expect that Cunningham will primarily work on third down and passing situations where his receiving and blocking abilities can best be put to use. Beyond that, I'd expect Malcolm Brown, who got a look in the season finale, to have a chance to push for a roster spot and more carries in his second season. We also can't definitively rule out the chances that the Rams would look for more depth at the position later in the draft or in undrafted free agency.
What's the prognosis of Saffold and TJ McDonald? Is Barron slated to be an OLB or FS/SS for 16' #RamsMail
@nwagoner: At last month's owners meetings, Rams coach Jeff Fisher said he expected all of the injured players to be able to participate at some level during OTAs and heading into training camp. That would include Saffold and McDonald, both of whom I asked about directly. Saffold has already been working out at the team's makeshift facility in Oxnard and looks to be ready to go sooner than later though the Rams could still take some precautions with him to make sure he's ready for training camp. As for Barron, I don't know what the Rams plan to call him but it's a safe bet that he's going to be playing on the weak side as a linebacker. Maybe they'll call him a weak side safety on the depth chart but he's essentially a linebacker now unless the Rams make some drastic changes during the draft and reshuffle things again.
The offseason is here for the Los Angeles Rams and now that we know where they'll be playing their home games for the long-term, things have settled down enough to spend our weekends answering a few of your Twitter questions.
As always, you can find me on Twitter @nwagoner and fire away with any Rams-related questions you might have. Please use hashtag #RamsMail so I can see them.
On to your questions.
Who will the Rams have as run support for Gurley if Mason is out (poss. suspension from arrest) or unable to return to 2014 form #Ramsmail
@nwagoner: While the Rams listed Tre Mason as the No. 2 back behind Todd Gurley for most of last season, the snaps and playing time would tell a different story. Benny Cunningham is the true backup to Gurley after he played 261 snaps to Mason's 176. Yes, Mason had more carries (75-37) but Cunningham had 26 receptions to Mason's 18. Cunningham also averaged 3.78 yards per carry to Mason's 2.76. Overall, it wasn't a good year for Mason on the field or off of it, where he was deactivated for a game for missing the team bus to the airport. Obviously, Mason hasn't helped his cause this offseason, either. So he still has some proving to do to ensure he has a place on the roster. But Cunningham will be back and with Gurley entrenched as the primary ball carrier, it's probably safe to expect that Cunningham will primarily work on third down and passing situations where his receiving and blocking abilities can best be put to use. Beyond that, I'd expect Malcolm Brown, who got a look in the season finale, to have a chance to push for a roster spot and more carries in his second season. We also can't definitively rule out the chances that the Rams would look for more depth at the position later in the draft or in undrafted free agency.
What's the prognosis of Saffold and TJ McDonald? Is Barron slated to be an OLB or FS/SS for 16' #RamsMail
@nwagoner: At last month's owners meetings, Rams coach Jeff Fisher said he expected all of the injured players to be able to participate at some level during OTAs and heading into training camp. That would include Saffold and McDonald, both of whom I asked about directly. Saffold has already been working out at the team's makeshift facility in Oxnard and looks to be ready to go sooner than later though the Rams could still take some precautions with him to make sure he's ready for training camp. As for Barron, I don't know what the Rams plan to call him but it's a safe bet that he's going to be playing on the weak side as a linebacker. Maybe they'll call him a weak side safety on the depth chart but he's essentially a linebacker now unless the Rams make some drastic changes during the draft and reshuffle things again.
