Tight end Davis Allen ruled out for Sunday and it creates roster problems

Add another player to the Rams walking wounded

The Los Angeles Rams will be missing another primary back up, tight end Davis Allen, in this Sunday’s intra-divisional tilt with the Arizona Cardinals.

Although Allen had been listed as ‘doubtful” on the Rams three official injury reports, Jourdan Rodrigue is reporting that the second-year tight end won’t play due to a bad back.

Rams in a quandary?

The loss of Allen adds to the negative ripple effect injuries are creating and makes roster decisions difficult. The two standard practice squad elevations now take on a much more important meaning. Where should the Rams use the elevations?

At tight end? With the Davis ruling, now only Hunter Long remains as a backup to starter Colby Parkinson and Long has had a career-long injury history of his own. It would appear to be a simple fix, just bring up Nikola Kalinic or Miller Forristall. Or should they even bother with either? After all, the Rams are almost exclusively a three wide receiver team.

At wide receiver? There are currently only five receivers on the active roster. Although in theory, that should be enough, it still creates another possible positional shortage. Puka Nacua’s addition to the Injured Reserve List earlier this week makes the L.A. wide outs room a little thin.

On the offensive line? Kevin Dotson and Rob Havenstein are both nicked up and how bad the injuries actually are will never get out of the Rams building. Lack of cohesion will make the L.A. line susceptible to blitzes, both real and simulated, twists, stunts, and loops. Is an elevation be the right move? Active Geron Christian is a veteran tackle with NFL starts under his belt, but only got into town mid-week. Possible elevation AJ Arcuri certainly didn’t fare well last week, but the Cardinals don’t have a player like Aidan Hutchinson on the defense.

Now where the problem worsens. At cornerback? Although he doesn’t have an injury designation, Tre’Davious White did not practice on a Friday. It’s normal for a vet to get a rest day, Sean McVay has been doing during his whole tenure, but on a Friday after Week 1? Granted, he’s coming off major surgery, but still a bit out of order. Cobie Durant is a bigger question mark, he hardly practiced at all this week with a turf toe. The two backups, Josh Wallace and Charles Woods are rookie undrafted free agents. Can’t really look to the safeties for a lot of help, the best cover man, Quentin Lake was limited late in the week. Ahkello Witherspoon, being elevated would appear to be the prudent choice.

Where should the Rams utilize their two practice squad elevations?