Rams offensive guard David Edwards will not play in Monday Night Football. He reported concussion symptoms to the team and entered concussion protocol Saturday morning.
“He wasn’t feeling too great,” Rams coach Sean McVay said Saturday, via the team transcripts. “He came in day after we had some individual stuff, said he was a little bit foggy. Obviously, you can’t be too careful with some of these things. We went through the protocol, he’ll be in concussion protocol right now, and so as a result of that, he’ll be out for the game. But it was great for him to be able to kind of communicate. We took the right steps, especially, with the situation that occurred on Thursday.”
McVay was referring to Tua Tagovailoa being stretchered off the field during Thursday Night Football with head and neck injuries. Tagovailoa’s reentry into last Sunday’s game against the Bills and his head injury four days later have prompted questions about the league’s handling of concussions.
McVay said Tagovailoa’s situation has “heightened awareness” about concussion protocol.
“Whether that happened or not would have zero to do with our approach with David Edwards,” McVay said. “But I know there’s been a lot of, I don’t want to say speculation, but a lot of questions in that situation and particular brought light to a lot of questions. I feel really good about the processes and the procedures that have been in place since I’ve been here and in this role as it relates to the communication with the medical group. I know the NFL’s doing everything in their power to do the right thing by the players and I fully believe that.”
Bobby Evans is expected to replace Edwards at left guard against the 49ers.
The Rams also ruled out center Brian Allen (knee), cornerback Cobie Durant (hamstring) and cornerback David Long Jr. (groin). None practiced this week.