The St. Louis Rams suffered a potentially major loss in an otherwise insignificant preseason defeat at the hands of the Oakland Raiders on Friday. Linebacker and special teams aceDaren Batesleft the game during the first half, and according to a postgame report by theSt. Louis Post-Dispatch‘s Jim Thomas, the prognosis doesn’t appear to be great:
Back from locker room. LB Daren Bates was on crutches; Fisher said Bates' knee was very sore, will get MRI Sat. Don't think this looks good.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1)August 15, 2015
Bates is arguably the Rams’ most impactful special teams player, and though his undersized 5-foot-11, 225-pound frame doesn’t make him an ideal fit as a linebacker from scrimmage, his combination of aggressiveness and discipline on all the Rams’ special teams units has made his presence on the 53-man roster more than worth it for the past two seasons. Bates finished behind onlyChase Reynoldsin Rams special teams tackles last season, collecting 10 tackles in that facet of the game despite missing two games with an injury. In addition,he blocked a New York Giants field goal attemptin one of the most highlight reel-worthy plays of the 2014 season.
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Depending on the severity of his injury, Bates may be a player that the Rams consider using the short-term injured reserve designation for, which requires a player to miss a minimum of eight weeks while a spot on the 53-man roster is temporarily opened, with the injured player still being permitted to return later on in the season if they recover in time. With that said, Bates’ contributions come almost exclusively on special teams, where exceptional performers are highly valued but still can be replaced with little consequence. Considering the effect that a lower-body injury would have on Bates’ ability to perform a job that is so reliant on speed, the best option probably would be to just put him on the season-ending injured reserve list if he has an ailment that is going to cause him to miss a long period of time.
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If Bates happens to be done for the season, it would likely give another strong special teams performer,Marshall McFadden, an even better edge as he attempts to make the 53-man roster. In addition, guys like Bryce Hager,Korey Toomer, Cameron Lynch, and Keshaun Malone would have a better chance at making the team. Though the Rams would probably prefer to carry six linebackers on their opening 53, they don’t necessarily have to. SafetyMark Barrongot quite a bit of experience as a de facto outside linebacker last season, and yet another Rams safety,Maurice Alexander, played linebacker in college and could step in at the position in a pinch.
Next: Rams vs. Raiders: Postgame Thoughts and Observations
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