IRVINE, Calif. – He can participate in the jog-through install session that begins training camp practices, but for the remainder of those practices, Jalen Ramsey is an observer.
Well, more specifically, a coach.
"It's kind of the only way I can enjoy it because I want to be out there, honestly," Ramsey said after Day 2 of Rams Training Camp 2022 presented by UNIFY Financial Credit Union.
Ramsey said the procedure was done to address "some issues with my shoulders" that he chose to play through last season. He hoped certain things would heal on their own, but it didn't work out "because it just got to the point where it was a little too yucky, a little too messed up in there, and it just needed to be cleaned out and made new again."
Ramsey and the Rams had a deadline for when to do the procedure if the injury wasn't improving. Getting the procedure was a "calculated decision" by him and the Rams' training staff.
"Everybody wanted the best for myself and the team," Ramsey said.
Ramsey being cleared in a limited fashion by doctors allowed for him to avoid being placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list, but constricts the scope of his participation to that jog-through, "above-the-neck" work, as Rams head coach Sean McVay describes it. For the rest of practice, Jalen is Coach Ramsey. At times in between plays during team drills, Ramsey was seen talking to rookie defensive back Cobie Durant and giving him pointers. Another time, he was celebrating with rookie defensive back Derion Kendrick after Kendrick broke up a pass.
"I think that's exactly what you want," McVay said. "That's Jalen's personality. He loves football. All our guys do, but especially him. Just to be able to out here influences guys in the right way. It's a real positive."
As much as Ramsey would love to be on the field during those other portions of practice right now, he knows it's in his best interest leading into the season.
"I'm going to make sure I'm 100 percent," Ramsey said. "And really, it's a lot of me leaning on the training staff and the coaches, because, I mean, like I said, if it was up to me, I'd probably just go out there and thug it out again for another however many weeks I gotta do it, right? But I want to be the best version of myself for myself and my teammates, so I'm going to just listen to what they tell me to do and be smart about it."
