Eric Weddle's playing time vs. Bucs will be similar to wild-card game, 'if not a little more'

[theramswire.usatoday.com] Eric Weddle's playing time vs. Bucs will be similar to wild-card game, 'if not a little more'

Cameron DaSilva
January 22, 2022 4:00 am PT

The Los Angeles Rams caught everyone off guard last week when they signed Eric Weddle to their practice squad, bringing him out of retirement after two years. He suited up against the Arizona Cardinals in Monday night’s wild-card game, playing 19 snaps in the secondary.


He didn’t have a huge impact statistically, but simply having him on the field and on the sideline was helpful for the Rams from an experience and leadership perspective. With Jordan Fuller and Taylor Rapp both out, it was valuable to have him at safety.

Rapp remains in the concussion protocol and won’t play against the Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon. That puts more on Weddle, who will still have a key role on defense. Raheem Morris said it’s likely to be similar to the 19 snaps he played this past week, if not more.

“Eric did a great job for us,” Morris said Thursday. “His communication, his movement, his ability to go out there and really play extended period of time – I believe was 20 or so snaps. I’m not sure the exact number. But to be able to get him out there, to move him around, the communication that he brought to the table, the confidence that he brought (Terrell) Burgess, the way that he was able to talk with Nick Scott and watch those guys really play fast, and then to be able to be smart and get him out of the game when it was out of hand, to be able to use him, to be able to have him for this week – I anticipate his role being somewhere near the same if not a little more. We’re going to take Eric as long as he can take it because he’s a great person to be around. He does nothing but bring us confidence and he does nothing but bring his greatness.”

The Rams don’t need Weddle to be an every-down player, and he won’t be. They have Terrell Burgess and Nick Scott for that. But his energy and leadership, being an experienced player, helped get the Rams ready for a critical playoff game.

Jalen Ramsey saw value in Weddle being out there, too.

“It was nice having him out there and it was fun,” he said. “Obviously, we got a big win. That was fun. His energy was through the roof. He was super excited at certain times I thought he needed to calm down before he made himself catch a cramp or something, anything like that, but no, it was super fun. It was fun having him out there. The communication was great. And yeah, we came up big, so it was fun.”

The Rams take on the Buccaneers this Sunday at 3 p.m. ET, going on the road against Tampa Bay.