The NFL trade deadline will commence on October 29th and the Los Angeles Rams have already shown that they're willing to be aggressive. Following their move for Jalen Ramsey, Chris Thompson could be an intriguing target for the Rams.
The Washington Redskins are definitely in a position where they could be sellers at the deadline. Therefore, veteran players like Thompson could be expendable. Especially with Adrian Peterson starting and Derrius Guice possibly nearing a return to the field.
As for Los Angeles, there are still concerns surrounding Todd Gurley as we enter Week 8. The All-Pro running back still flashes the skill set that made him one of the best running backs in the NFL in recent seasons. At the same time, he doesn't appear to be playing with the same confidence he once had before his knee injury.
Behind Gurley, Malcolm Brown is slated to miss his second consecutive game with an injury and rookie Darrell Henderson is beginning to get acclimated into the offense. But you can never have enough depth at the running back position. Just ask the New England Patriots.
The addition of Thompson would give the Rams three or four running backs in the backfield who all can do different things. Of course, Gurley would remain the starter and the others would fall behind with different roles.
Considering that Thompson is battling with his own injury and he is only under contract through this season; the price for the Rams to bring him in shouldn't be too steep. It would also be remiss to consider Thompson without mentioning his previous experience in Sean McVay's offense.
Before McVay became the head coach of the Rams in 2017, he spent three seasons as the Redskins' offensive coordinator. During that time, Thompson was becoming a versatile weapon in Washington's offense out of the backfield.
From 2015-2016 (the final two years with McVay as his coordinator), Thompson combined for 1,161 yards from scrimmage on 187 touches and seven touchdowns. Above all, the Florida State product showed that he could be a viable receiving threat in an offense.
In McVay's offense, he tends to use the running back as an extension of the passing game. When his offense is at it's best, it is when Gurley (or another running back) is involved as a receiver. But with Gurley seeing his usage decreased, the Rams haven't had the same success offensively.
That is where Thompson can come in and add another dimension to the offense. Yes, the Rams have three talented receivers and two formidable tight ends for Jared Goff to target. Again, you can never have enough running backs and Thompson would be a cheap option.
Follow Us
Subscribe