[
theramswire.usatoday.com] Jalen Ramsey: Eric Weddle's return is something 'I needed and really, really wanted'
Cameron DaSilva
January 15, 2022 6:59 am PT
Jalen Ramsey shared a cryptic tweet late Tuesday night teasing what fans believed was an upcoming roster move by the Los Angeles Rams. Less than 24 hours later, they announced that they signed Eric Weddle to the practice squad, bringing the 37-year-old out of retirement for the playoffs.
Ramsey shared his initial excitement about the move on Twitter, but he went in-depth about how much this move means to him and what Weddle brings to the Rams defense. Ramsey and Weddle played half a season together in 2019 after the Rams acquired Ramsey from the Jaguars, showing great chemistry on the field that year.
That chemistry is what has Ramsey so excited about Weddle’s return, calling him probably the best safety he’s played with in his career.
“It’s fun. It has been fun. It was something that, I personally feel like I needed and really, really wanted,” Ramsey said Friday. “Another guy like that in our secondary, even if it’s just for the playoffs or this stretch we want to go on. I was super excited when he called me and told me that it was a possibility, that he was thinking about it. Just super excited and fun to have him out there. I’ve been blessed to play with some good safeties in my career. I feel like he’s probably the best that I’ve ever played with in my career. It was always fun playing with him, even just for the short time that we did. We always had a lot of communication. We were always able to be on the same page and play the game within the game with each other. Just because of our experience and how we think alike. We kind of have the same vision on certain things. So that was fun. It’s been fun and I know it will continue to be fun.”
Ramsey said over the last two years, Weddle has been texting him regularly. They’ve remained good friends, with Weddle sharing insight on how Ramsey can improve and what he’s noticing when watching the All-Pro corner.
“I know he’s a Hall of Famer walking and I respect his insight, the things that he’s told me, the advice he’s given me and the criticism he’s given me at times,” Ramsey said. “So, that’s all been good. Now I’m glad that for now, he doesn’t have to text me all these things. He can just tell me when he sees me.”
Weddle’s role is still being determined by the coaching staff, but he already seems to be impressing in practice this week. Ramsey shared a quick story about how in practice Friday, Weddle called a check that the Rams used in Wade Phillips’ defense two years ago, but because Ramsey was also on that team, he knew exactly what Weddle was saying.
“We can speak a whole other language to each other,” Ramsey said. “In practice today, he called up a check from Wade’s defense. We just don’t talk like that anymore, right? We haven’t talked like that in two years, but I immediately knew what he was saying to me and I knew what he wanted me to do. So, it was funny. I just remember laughing in the middle of the play, ‘That’s not the word, but yeah. I know what you want me to do. I am going to just do it that way.’ He’s super fun to be around and super fun to play with. Him and I, we just always work on one accord. We can work on a string. In the middle of a play, he can yell something and I’ll make an adjustment in what I’m doing and vice versa.”
That chemistry can only help the Rams’ secondary, which has had a few breakdowns in coverage in recent weeks. So even if Weddle isn’t a starter and doesn’t play every snap, he can help on the plays that he is on the field for.
