Turf Show Times
After barely seeing the field his rookie season, the writing might be on the wall for Evans entering 2024
The Los Angeles Rams took running back Zach Evans in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. At the time, LA’s run game was a mystery as Cam Akers was expected to be the workhorse and Kyren Williams was not a household name just yet. Fast-forward to this year’s draft and the Rams filled a need at RB behind the All-Pro Williams with the selection of Blake Corum in the third round.
Corum should make the run game more dynamic than it was last season. However, the Michigan kid and reigning national champion further complicates Evans’ future in Hollywood — if he ever really had one to begin with.
Despite injuries to Williams that forced him to miss four games around midseason, Evans was never called upon to fill in. Instead, Sean McVay relied on veteran rushers Royce Freeman and Darrell Henderson to carry the load. Evans received four carries in relief of Williams after the star went down with an ankle injury in a Week 6 win over the Cardinals.
That was the most carries Evans had in any game during his rookie season. In the month that Kyren was on IR, Zach earned just a single carry for no yards. Even in Week 18 when McVay was resting most of the starters, Evans also tallied one carry. Second-year back Ronnie Rivers started in San Francisco and led the charge with 52 yards on the ground.
The Ole Miss product totaled 19 yards on nine attempts for a 2.11 average in 10 appearances, no starts. His role will likely diminish with the insertion of Corum in the lineup.
CBS Sports wrote on April 29 that Kyren could lose more reps to backups than he did last season. Williams is undoubtably the lead back, but missing out on a few reps is not unexpected. He has a fairly troubling injury history and plays the most physically demanding position in the game. Any reinforcements to help preserve him should be welcomed.
Yet if Kyren is expected to see a slight dip in his role, where does that leave Zach? With Williams, Rivers and Corum likely entrenched as the top backs, Evans would be the odd man out. Once viewed as a late-round steal, any excitement Evans generated entering last season is gone.
Unless he explodes in training camp, Zach Evans will be on the roster bubble heading into his sophomore campaign.
