The Los Angeles Rams have bolstered their roster this offseason, notably by signing former Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White. Although White has been one of the top players in his position, recent injuries have limited his playing time. The Rams are optimistic about his return for the regular season, but head coach Sean McVay provided an update that leaves his exact return date uncertain.
When asked about White’s potential participation in training camp, McVay responded:
“He’s making good progress and participated in the walkthrough. Overcoming such a significant injury is a big step,” McVay said. “He’s done a lot of good work on the side and is very engaged in meetings. As for his specific timeline in training camp, we’ll see how things go. He’s very in tune with his body, so we don’t want to limit ourselves to one approach. It’s all about how he’s feeling and what Dr. Neil ElAttrache, our Head Team Physician, advises. We want to ensure he’s ready not just for the opener, but for the entire season.”
White has not played more than 14 games in a season since 2020, tearing his Achilles in Week 4 last year. The Rams hope to see him return to his 2020 form when he was named to the second-team All-Pro and the Pro Bowl.
White has been a formidable player when healthy, with a career coverage grade of 90.1 from PFF, ranking him eighth among qualifying cornerbacks since 2017. In his four games last season, White achieved an impressive PFF coverage score of 80.6. While this is a small sample size, it is significantly higher than the Rams’ coverage grades last season. Ahkello Witherspoon and Derion Kendrick both scored below 61, while Quentin Lake was the team’s best-graded player with a score of 68.0.
Given the severity of a torn Achilles, the Rams recognize that White might miss some time early in the season to ensure his long-term health. While they hope he’ll be ready for Week 1, rushing him could risk further injury.
Fortunately for the Rams, White is a low-risk, high-reward signing, with a one-year deal worth $4.25 million—a bargain for a player with Pro Bowl potential. Additionally, the Rams have decent depth at the cornerback position.
They re-signed former Ram Darious Williams after his release from Jacksonville, which should help if White needs more recovery time. The roster also includes last year’s starters, Derion Kendrick and Cobie Durant. Although fans might not be thrilled with the idea of Kendrick or Durant in major roles again, both have game experience and should be reliable rotational players. With another year in the Rams’ defensive system, both players are expected to improve.
The additions of White, Williams, safety Kam Curl, and rookie Kamren Kitchens aim to enhance a defensive backfield that was ranked 20th in pass defense by Fox Sports, especially if White can play the entire season.
