It was long assumed the Rams would bring in a veteran running back to shore up the position once Cam Akers tore his Achilles earlier in the offseason. Sony Michel is a surprise to some; we break down what the Rams backfield looks like after the trade.
Sony Michel has had a career fraught with injury, marring the value of the first round selection. He has been an effective part of the New England scheme for years, though missing time and a crowded backfield has limited his touches as of late. Coming out of Georgia in 2018, Michel offers the Rams a more pure rusher than their current RB1 Darrell Henderson. He has speed, doesn't fumble, and can bull rush up the middle pretty well for a smaller stature man. In each of his first two seasons, Michel had over 200 carries but only found the end zone 6 and 7 times respectively, and he didn't hit 1000 yards either year. Last season Michel only played 9 games in New England due to injury, and despite a 5.7 YPC average he was fairly minimized by the use of Cam Newton rushing the ball in the red zone.
The Michel signing is good news for Rams fans and Henderson fans alike. Henderson was highly drafted and has shown ample promise in his time on the field, so he definitely still has the starting job. Michel will spell him, but not likely to steal too many snaps from him, as the veteran hasn't been used much as a pass catcher in his career. It mostly means that head coach Sean McVay can't rely on Xavier Jones or rookie Jake Funk to back up Henderson, and with Michel's injury history we imagine the Rams plan to meter Michel's usage. He could be a threat to Henderson's goal line carries, but I'm not fading Henderson too far yet in my rankings.
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