Entering their Week 4 matchup, the Los Angeles Rams will be without starting cornerback Jaylen Watson, calling into question how the team will adjust after his absence led to their second-half meltdown in Denver.
The Rams have Josh Wallace and Emmanuel Forbes Jr. available as depth options, but Watson's injury could press star defensive back Trent McDuffie into full-time duties as an outside corner, instead of the inside-outside player he is accustomed to being.
However, defensive coordinator Chris Shula won't commit to do so, stating on Thursday that he will be able to use McDuffie's versatility without Watson's presence, as he's comfortable with Wallace and Forbes taking up outside responsibilities for the contest.
“Yeah, we do," said Shula.
"Luckily, we have two guys that we feel [good about] with ‘E-Man’ [Emmanuel Forbes Jr.] and Josh that can come in and fill those roles. We have a bunch of DBs in the back end that we can move around and play in different spots. We don't see it as a limitation at all of what we can do with Trent. We expect him to go align wherever we think is best to go win this game.”
The Rams are also expected to bring back safety Kam Kinchens for this game, which will help Shula free up McDuffie's usage if he continues to use his zone-heavy approach.
Last week, McDuffie played 66 of the team's 67 defensive snaps, tying with Kam Curl for second most. Quentin Lake was the only player to record more, playing 100% of the snaps.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Jaylen Watson's injury won't hinder Trent McDuffie's versatility
