New Approach Could Increase Snaps for Rams Safety Terrell Burgess

There are fans of the Los Angeles Rams wondering why Terrell Burgess hasn’t been utilized in the starting lineup or given lots of defensive snaps through the first five games.

Burgess, according to Pro Football Focus, has only been on the field for 91 plays…all on special teams — collecting eight tackles including seven solo stops as of Week 5.

But now, with cornerback Darious Williams listed as out for this upcoming Sunday contest against the New York Giants, there could finally be more Burgess sightings on defense.

One Approach Could Finally Work Burgess Into Lineup

Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris points to a “committee” approach likely in the works effective Sunday, as the Rams move on momentarily without Williams.

“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 told the L.A. media on Thursday near the 16:30 mark of the post practice presser video below. “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 (also) emerging.”

The rookie Rochell has versatility as a safety, but he’s likely to exchange reps with Long at cornerback at East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Currently, Taylor Rapp and captain Jordan Fuller have taken the bulk of the reps. Both have tied for second on the team with 350 total defensive snaps. Only Ramsey has had more at 351.

Nick Scott has seen the third-most plays at safety, but only at 89 plays. Scott, though, recorded his first interception of 2021 against the Seattle Seahawks in the Week 5 road win.

‘Next men up’

Morris sounds like someone who doesn’t like using an old football saying when someone goes down and someone must step up.

Instead, he did a twist on an old cliche in describing the Rams’ current situation in the pass defense.

“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,” Morris said. “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.”

This Rams secondary will officially go against a Giants offense that will have wide receiver Sterling Shepard and quarterback Daniel Jones, the latter fresh from concussion protocol.

New York, however, won’t have its tallest target in 6-foot-4 wide receiver and ex-Detroit Lions teammate of Matthew Stafford Kenny Golladay (knee) and won’t have standout running back Saquon Barkley as both left with injuries in their 44-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, October 10.

Outside of Shepard, Golladay and rookie Kadarius Toney, no Giants wide receiver has caught more than seven passes through five games.