Rams cut Darrell Henderson Jr. after Kyren Williams, Ronnie Rivers return

The Los Angeles Rams beat the New Orleans Saints in Week 16 30-22, and are now knocking on the door of the NFL playoffs at 8-7. As the team heads toward the postseason, they are making moves to firm up their roster for the stretch run, which includes cutting running back Darrell Henderson Jr. after RBs Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers returned from injury.

“The #Rams released RB Darrell Henderson Jr. off the practice squad,” NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reported on Tuesday.

Ahead of the 2023 NFL season, it looked like the Rams starting RB job would be a competition or maybe even a split between Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson Jr. However, as the season unfolded, Kyren Williams surpassed both of those players. Los Angeles traded Akers to the Minnesota Vikings and relegated Henderson to a backup role.

Fast forward even further up the Rams’ 2023 timeline, and Henderson fell even further down the depth chart behind Ronnie Rivers and Royce Freeman. With Williams and Rivers both dealing with injuries in recent weeks, Henderson was still an active participant in his team’s games.

After the Rams’ Week 16 win, though, with both RBs back in action, Henderson became expendable, and the team released him from the practice squad in order to add long-snapper Alex Matheson. The RB could be back soon as the Rams cut him once before this season before re-signing him in November.

Henderson leaves the Rams after spending almost five seasons with the franchise. In his LA career, the 2019 third-round pick racked up 1,845 rushing yards on 442 carries and added 76 catches for 557 yards and 19 total touchdowns. This season he contributed 112 rushing yards on 46 carries and added 10 catches for 103 yards and two TDs.