There was a lot of hype surrounding Ogbonnia Okoronkwo last year after the Rams got him in the fifth round – a steal, according to most analysts and fans. Then he broke his foot in OTAs and was sidelined until November.
He never appeared on the game day roster last season, so he didn’t take a single snap, essentially making his rookie year a redshirt season.
The excitement for Okoronkwo returned this year as he came into the offseason fully healthy, but he’s once again dealing with an injury. He hasn’t been on the practice field lately and on Sunday, Sean McVay gave some insight as to why.
“He’s been banged up. We’re hopeful to get him back sooner than later. He has been banged up,” the coach said.
McVay didn’t elaborate on what exactly the injury is, but it sounds like he’ll be back out there in the near future. It doesn’t seem like anything overly serious or an issue that will sideline him for a lengthy period of time like the broken foot did last year, but if there’s one player who needs practice time, it’s him.
The Rams have seen very little of Okoronkwo since he was drafted a year ago, making it difficult to evaluate exactly what he adds to the team. That’s not to say he’s on the roster bubble, but at some point he has to show he can stay healthy and produce at the NFL level.
The Rams stuck by Okoronkwo last year because he was a rookie who suffered an unfortunate injury, but if durability becomes a regular concern, the team may not remain patient.
Okoronkwo is competing with the likes of Justin Lawler, Trevon Young and Josh Carraway at outside linebacker, so if any of those players stand out in practice or the preseason, they could get the nod over him.
It can’t be said enough how important the preseason will be for Okoronkwo.
