The Rams’ secondary will be shorthanded to start the 2024 season. Cornerback Darious Williams was placed on injured reserve Thursday, per a team announcement. 
Williams was limited in practice yesterday due to a hamstring injury he has been recovering from during the summer. The ailment will keep him sidelined for the season opener along with at least Los Angeles’ next three contests after that. The 31-year-old returned to the Rams this offseason on a three-year, $22.5MM pact.
That move was preceded by a two-year tenure in Jacksonville. Williams served as a starter during his time there, enjoying a productive campaign last season in particular. The former UDFA racked up four interceptions, 19 pass deflections and a pair of forced fumbles in 2023. As the Jaguars re-shaped their secondary in the offseason, however, Williams was released.
In short order, a Los Angeles reunion was arranged. Williams made a single appearance with the team in 2018, and he was a key contributor for the following three campaigns. That stretch included 25 starts, and upon retuning to the team Williams was set to reprise his first-team workload. Being without him for at least the first month of the campaign will therefore deal a notable blow to Los Angeles’ defense, a unit which no longer includes Aaron Donald or Ernest Jones in the front seven.
Los Angeles’ CB depth also includes Cobie Durant, although as The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue notes he too has also been dealing with a hamstring injury. The Rams’ roster moves in advance of last week’s cutdown deadline included placing fellow corner Tre’Vius Tomlinson on IR, sidelining him for the season. The team also has former Bill All-Pro Tre’Davious White – whose career has been marred by injuries recently – in the fold, and he could be counted on to handle a heavy workload early.
Activating Williams once he is healthy will count toward the team’s limit of eight during the regular season. If Los Angeles deems a depth addition necessary while he is unavailable, the team has roughly $4.4MM available in cap space as things stand.