The LA Rams are struggling in 2024. That’s not exactly news to the fans, and perhaps not even to the casual NFL fans who can do a quick inspection of the standings and discover that the 1-3 record of the LA Rams have them among the bottom teams of the league at the moment. There are plenty of reasons for the team’s struggles.
But right now, the team appears to have found at least one veteran to fulfill the role of scapegoat.
While the play of defensive back Tre’Davious White is far short of what the team had hoped to get when signing him to a one-year contract valued at $4.25 million, but with incentive clauses up to $10 million, he has been the lone veteran in a secondary riddled with injuries. Forced to start and play almost 100 percent of the defensive snaps so far this season, White has been a pale presence on defense.
In 252 defensive snaps, White has no interceptions, made 12 tackles, broken up just two passes, missed four tackles, and allowed 66.7 percent of passes targeting his receiver to find their mark. While are stats are some of the worst in his career,
White has surrendered four touchdowns in four games.
Per NFLPenalties.com, White has been the most penalized Rams player by far. In four games, he has been flagged five times. The next most frequently penalized player is two penalties, held by five different players.
#Rams veteran CB Tre'Davious White is a healthy scratch against the #Packers.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 6, 2024
In Week 5, White finds himself inactive, a healthy scratch from a defense that saw him as a permanent fixture in four games throughout September 2024.
Why bench White now?
The key to White’s benching lies in his astutely constructed one-year contract. The Rams embedded a $2 million incentive clause in the contract contingent upon White playing in 60 percent of the defensive snaps. While I’m all for players getting paid, nothing about White’s performance so far has warranted extra money.
You could see this coming if you listened to Rams HC Sean McVay calling out mistakes on the defense. One play that was particularly vexing was a defensive penalty called on Tre White after holding the Chicago Bears to 4th down and nine yards to go at the Rams 15-yard line. Instead of kicking the field goal, the Bears found itself with 1st down and goal to go on the Rams one-yard line.
The Bears scored a touchdown.
The Rams secondary gets both Darious Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon for Week 5. With White sitting this one out, the Rams are clearly aiming to start Williams, and Witherspoon could get a significant number of defensive snaps as well.
The Rams have placed DB Tre White in the doghouse, and perhaps rightfully so. Will he work his way be to the good graces? Well not this week, at any rate.
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