Rams face more COVID-19 cases and questions as Seahawks game nears

The Rams talked with NFL officials astir their options for Sunday’s crippled against the Seattle Seahawks astatine SoFi Stadium arsenic COVID-19 cases continued to rip done their roster, a squad spokesperson said Thursday.

The crippled seems astir definite to beryllium played, due to the fact that the league has expressed nary inclination to postpone oregon cancel immoderate of the games involving teams deed with coronavirus outbreaks successful the past week.

But overmuch remained uncertain, opening with who the Rams volition – oregon should – person disposable to play.

Nine much Rams players were placed connected the COVID-19 reserve database connected Thursday afternoon, astir notably extracurricular linebacker Von Miller.

With those additions, the Rams had 25 players connected the list, which is for players who trial affirmative oregon are recovered to person had adjacent interaction with idiosyncratic who did.

Among the 25 were 7 regular starters and 11 different members of the 53-man roster, positive 5 players from the signifier squad and 2 players who are connected injured reserve.

The Seahawks (5-8) began to person COVID-19 occupation Thursday. They enactment their starring rusher, Alex Collins, and starring walk receiver, Tyler Lockett, connected the reserve list.

But the Rams (9-4) had much players connected the database than immoderate different NFL team, adjacent much than Washington and Cleveland, the others deed hardest by the virus.

Record numbers of NFL players are being sidelined, portion the microorganism is besides unsettling different nonrecreational and assemblage sports amid a wintertime surge enhanced by the Omicron variant.

It was unclear however the Rams mightiness beryllium affected by the league’s announcement Thursday of a alteration successful its COVID-19 protocols to let vaccinated players who trial affirmative for the microorganism to travel disconnected the reserve database aft 1 antagonistic trial alternatively of the erstwhile request of 2 antagonistic tests successful a 24-hour period.

The league’s intensive protocols for teams with affirmative tests person disrupted the Rams’ mentation for the Seahawks game.

Their grooming installation successful Thousand Oaks was closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Players were capable to amusement up to instrumentality COVID-19 tests connected Thursday for the archetypal clip successful 2 days. But a jog-through signifier scheduled for Thursday day was called disconnected portion the squad awaited trial results, and meetings were held by Zoom for the 3rd time successful a row.

The Rams didn’t marque coaches oregon players disposable to reply reporters’ questions, but a spokesperson filled successful immoderate details.

The squad hasn’t practiced since its 30-23 triumph implicit the Arizona Cardinals connected Monday night, and players person been incapable to spell successful for attraction of injuries. Among those are antiaircraft tackle Aaron Donald, who banged a genu successful Arizona.

Coach Sean McVay, who has tested negative, mightiness look a determination astir whether to play a prima similar Donald aft specified an inadequate week of preparation.

Another imaginable quandary: What if COVID-19 hits much of the violative line, which has already had close tackle Rob Havenstein and backups Bobby Evans, Alaric Jackson and Tremayne Anchrum spell connected the list? Should McVay hazard playing starting backmost Matthew Stafford down weakened blocking? Or should a backup backmost beryllium utilized instead?

There is clip for immoderate of the Rams connected the COVID-19 reserve database to grounds antagonistic tests earlier Sunday, particularly the archetypal to spell connected the list, similar moving backmost Darrell Henderson (Saturday) and Havenstein and cornerback Dont’e Deayon (Sunday).

Practice squad players tin beryllium called up to capable retired the 47-man game-day roster. The Rams signed erstwhile Washington cornerback Greg Stroman to the signifier squad Thursday.

But immoderate presumption groups person been ravaged.

The secondary has seen cornerback Jalen Ramsey, information Jordan Fuller and 7 others from the 53-man roster oregon signifier squad enactment connected reserve, leaving cornerback Darious Williams and information Taylor Rapp arsenic the lone starters active.

Outside linebackers Miller, Justin Hollins and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, and wrong linebackers Troy Reeder and Christian Rozeboom, were successful the latest batch of 9 Rams placed connected the reserve list, leaving Leonard Floyd and Ernest Jones arsenic the lone progressive starting linebackers.

Most Rams presumption groups had a starter connected the COVID-19 database connected Thursday, including wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

Starting choky extremity Tyler Higbee was placed connected the database Monday and missed the Cardinals game, lone to beryllium recovered to person received a mendacious positive.

So acold this week, Higbee’s reinstatement is the lone certainty the Rams person to celebrate.

NOTES

Fans attending the Rams’ crippled connected Sunday volition look tighter COVID-19 investigating requirements nether caller California Department of Public Health guidelines for ample nationalist events. Fans property 12 and up indispensable amusement impervious of vaccination, a antagonistic antigen trial wrong 24 hours of the 1:20 p.m. game, oregon a antagonistic PCR trial wrong 48 hours. Previously it was 72 hours for some kinds of tests. The Rams said investigating volition beryllium disposable astatine SoFi Stadium astatine fans’ expense.