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Rams Pleased With First-Week Progress of RB Sony Michel

Update on how Rams running back Sony Michel has fared in practice over the first week.

The Rams jumped on the opportunity to trade for running back Sony Michel shortly after getting a taste of what things were like when Darrell Henderson missed a few days following a minor hand injury. 

Perhaps the Rams may have traded for a running back at some point regardless, but as Henderson sat out of practice, the Rams pivoted shortly after to get reinforcements for their ground game. 

Michel has been in Los Angeles for a week now and offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell has been pleased with Michel's progress.

“Obviously, as advertised from a standpoint of his balance and you can just see his contact balance and he’s got a very powerful presence when he’s got the ball in his hands," O’Connell said. "We’re still trying to – he’s still learning. It’s completely different. In a roundabout way, I’ve been in that offense before, so I know how much different that verbiage is. He’s going to be working through it. He’s out there right now, right over your shoulder with Thomas Brown working on some things and it’ll just be incrementally better every day for him. And just talking to him, once things start to slow down mentally, I think we’re really going to start to see him get comfortable and take off.”

Michel is now reunited with Thomas Brown, his former running back coach at Georgia. Under Brown in the college ranks, Michel recorded over 1,400 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns.

Once Michel gets his feet under him in learning the Rams offense, he and Henderson are expected to work in stride alongside one another. 

As for Week 1, the Rams will presumably implement Michel into the swing of things with caution. Though, the Rams' staff appear pleased with how their newly acquired rusher is coming along thus far.

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Nick Cothrel is the Publisher of Ram Digest. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickCothrel.