The St. Louis Rams have suffered some devastating injuries in the preseason during recent years; they lostSam Bradfordfor the entirety of the 2014 season before he could even play a regular season down, while players likeTrumaine JohnsonandMichael Brockershave missed extended time due to preseason injuries. With the news that emerged on Saturday evening, it looks like the 2015 season will not provide the Rams much relief in that regard. According to Jim Thomas of theSt. Louis Post-Dispatch, starting cornerbackE.J. Gaineswill miss the entire 2015 season after suffering a lisfranc injury during a training camp practice last week.
The loss of Gaines will be a huge hit to the Rams. The 2014 sixth-rounder fought his way into a starting job as a rookie, and he was quite clearly the MVP of the Rams’ back seven, looking more like a true “shutdown corner” than just about any cornerback the Rams have had over the past decade. His greatest strength was his superior coverage, but he was able to come up with 70 tackles and two interceptions.
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In his absence, the Rams will have to turn back toJanoris Jenkinsand Trumaine Johnson, their projected starting corner duo going into last season. They’ll have to hope the electrifying but frustratingly inconsistent Jenkins can polish up his coverage skills, while Johnson will be looking to have a breakout season following three years in which he has had plenty of promising flashes but disappeared at times.
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Of more concern is the fact that the Rams will need to find some reliable depth behind Jenkins and Johnson. Former undrafted free agentMarcus Robersonmay now be the favorite for the nickelback spot, as he had some real bright spots at the end of the 2014 season and has been one of the team’s top performers during training camp. Last year’s second-rounder,Lamarcus Joyner, was underwhelming as a rookie and really struggled during the Rams’ preseason opener, but he has a few weeks left to establish himself as a reliable presence in the defensive backfield before the games start to matter.
Others who could factor into the decision include 2013 fifth-rounderBrandon McGee, who has largely been plagued by injuries in his NFL career to date, and undrafted rookie Imoan Claiborne, who was considered a premium undrafted free agent and has made some impressive plays so far during camp.
Next: Rams vs. Raiders: Postgame Thoughts and Observations
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