Another member of the Rams has hit injured reserve.
It’s right tackle Jason Smith this time. Smith hasn’t played since suffering a concussion on October 23rd, necessitating some of the shuffling that has left the Rams with what could euphemistically be described as a makeshift offensive line. Left tackle Rodger Saffold is out with a pectoral injury, his replacement Mark Levoir is also hurt and the identity of the team’s starting line for Sunday is a mystery. That’s a big part of the reason why this has been such a disappointing year for St. Louis.
When the year comes to a close, Smith will have missed 19 of his first 48 games. That’s hardly what the team expected when they picked him with the second overall pick of the 2009 draft. Of course, they also expected him to be an elite left tackle as opposed to a middling right tackle so disappointments are all relative. Smith is due $10 million next season, a perfect illustration of why there’s now a cap on rookie salaries.
The Rams announced that they have signed OL Bryan Mattison off of Baltimore’s practice squad to take Smith’s spot on the roster.