Maybe, just maybe the Rams will find a way to get Terrell Burgess involved while Darious Williams is on injured reserve.
The second-year defensive back has played just one defensive snap all year after playing 49 in seven games before getting hurt last season. He was still recovering this offseason from that severe ankle injury suffered in 2020, but he’s been healthy enough to play special teams and hasn’t been on the injury report once.
His lack of involvement on defense has been surprising, especially with Taylor Rapp not playing particularly well at safety. But Burgess’ chance could come this weekend against the Giants. Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris said Thursday that the Rams will replace Williams with a committee in the secondary, which may include Burgess.
“You got to have versatility with Jalen (Ramsey). Darious was a big part of us having that ability to do those things. Now you can’t replace those types of guys with one guy. It’s got to be by committee,” Morris said. “You got to be able to do those things. It’d be some David Long, will be some more Robert Rochell. A potential of somebody like a Burgess emerging. All those guys in this roster that you can use and can use their skillsets. You’ll hear the cliche by coaches saying, ‘The next man up.’ It’s more like the next men up. The next people up to fill those roles to be able to do those things. I think it’s our job as coaches to identify the problem. It’s the player’s jobs to go out and fix them, but it’s our job to put those guys in the position to best be successful and to coach what they can do and not to find out what they can’t.”
Burgess fits best as a safety, but he also has the ability to line up in the slot and play the nickel role. Ramsey has been playing in the slot plenty this season, so Burgess has had a hard time finding snaps there.
But if Ramsey plays outside more, it could open the door for Burgess to step up. We’ll see if that actually comes to fruition because his lack of playing time is nothing short of a shocking development.
