Getty Johnny Hekker of the Los Angeles Rams warms up before a 2020 game against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Los Angeles Rams will be without both their punters for Saturday night’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders, following the report of both Johnny Hekker and Corey Bojorquez getting placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the team announced on Saturday afternoon.
Currently, the Rams have not announced who will potentially take punts for the home contest at SoFi Stadium set for 7 p.m. PT. However, this could now place the Rams in a position where fans will see the team go for it on multiple fourth downs against Las Vegas.
The team is already down to one placekicker with Matt Gay, after the team waived PK Austin MacGinnis on August 16 per the team’s transaction page.
Full Statement
Via Rams team reporter Stu Jackson, here is the full team statement regarding Hekker and Bojorquez:
“The Rams announced Saturday that they have placed punters Corey Bojorquez and Johnny Hekker on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.
Per agreed-upon NFL-NFLPA policy, clubs are not allowed to comment on a player’s medical status other than referring to roster status. Being placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list is for a player who either tests positive for COVID-19 or who has been in close contact with an infected person or persons.
Bojorquez was signed by the Rams in late April after spending the last three years with the Buffalo Bills, where he averaged 45 yards per punt across 165 punts and 40 games. In 2020, his 50.8 gross average yards per punt led the NFL.
Hekker, a 10-year veteran with the Rams, averaged 45.6 yards per punt across 68 punts and 16 games last year. For his career, he has averaged 46.9 yards per punt across 676 punts through his first nine seasons.
The Rams host the Raiders tonight at SoFi Stadium at 7 p.m. pacific time for their preseason Week 2 game.”
Could Former Punter Be Used on Fourth Downs?
While Gay has his long line of work as a kicker, he does come with a past history as a punter – which could give the Rams an option there if needed.
According to his Utah Utes bio, Gay punted the ball 10 times and averaged a booming 50.1 yards per punt in his one season at Orem High in Utah. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Gay is also a former college soccer player at Utah Valley University, where he last played the other football in 2016.
Gay isn’t the first Ram to give up soccer for football. Rookie tight end/wide receiver Jacob Harris also hung up his soccer cleats for some football ones, described here in the Rams’ “Behind the Grind” feature released on August 13.
Maybe Harris could also be used as an emergency punter? Doubtful.
Keeping the Offense on the Field on Fourth Downs Imminent
Last Saturday in the 13-6 loss to the Chargers, Hekker and Bojorquez combined for four punts (two each from the duo) and 177 total yards. The latter ended up having one punt fall inside the 20-yard line.
It’s also undetermined if Bryce Perkins or Devlin “Duck” Hodges will get the starting quarterback nod versus the Raiders, as QB1 Matthew Stafford and backup John Wolford continue to sit for the preseason. Of the 54 total offensive plays the Rams mustered, they went 1-of-2 on fourth down tries.
In all likelihood, this team could keep the offense on the field for some of the fourth down situations this time.