It was at this time last year that Los Angeles Rams fans were curious as to which of the team’s new additions – RB Lance Dunbar or RB Justin Davis – would be Head Coach Sean McVay’s Chris Thompson-like, dual threat back.
The answer, we found, was….well, Todd Gurley would just do it all himself.
By the time Dunbar saw the field in 2017 in Week 10, discussion of Gurley potentially becoming the Offensive Player of the Year were already under way. Davis touched the ball only once last season — a one-yard carry in the team’s season opener against the Indianapolis Colts.
Fast-forward to mid-2018, and the odds that Davis cracks the roster for a second consecutive year aren’t much better than Dunbar’s…who has already been released.
Roster Battle
The only battle I see is the one at RB2, one in which I don’t figure Davis to be a factor. The Rams drafted RB John Kelly in the 6th round (176th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft, a spot which many deemed him a steal. Kelly is a tough, physical runner who possesses the skills to stay on the field all three downs, having proven to be very effective catching passes out of the backfield. He immediately slides into the RB3 spot, with a very good chance of supplanting Brown in the very near future.
But this isn’t about John Kelly. It’s about Justin Davis, who probably lost his roster spot the moment Kelly was drafted.
Expectations
I don’t expect the Rams to keep more than three running backs (Gurley-Brown-Kelly). So, barring the unforeseen, I expect Davis to be looking for work elsewhere in 2018.
Chances of Making Final Roster (1/10)
Davis saw just SIX snaps on offense in 2017. I’d venture to guess – even with how impressive Gurley was last season – we would’ve seen a bit more of him if McVay figured him into the future plans.
The writing was on the wall when they drafted Kelly. I think we’ve seen the last of the local product in a Rams’ uniform.