St. Louis Rams: Full Position Breakdown and Depth Chart Analysis at Running Back

With Sam Bradford suffering a season-ending injury before the season even started in 2014, the St. Louis Rams were left with Shaun Hill and Austin Davis to run the offense. That made establishing a high-powered passing game pretty tough.

On paper, the Rams weren't very effective running the ball either. They were ranked 20th in terms of total rushing yards, but that number may be a bit deceiving. The Rams averaged 4.1 yards per rush attempt, and when they focused on pounding the ball at their opponents, the team found plenty of success.

Tre Mason, then a rookie, was able to show glimpses of being a very effective back in the league for years to come. Though he only gained 765 yards on the season, he averaged 4.3 yards per attempt and ran with a purpose.

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Mason also did that in limited opportunities, as the Rams never had a true No. 1 running back until he emerged toward the end of the season. Zac Stacy was supposed to be that player, but he flopped following a solid rookie year and was traded to the New York Jets this offseason.

With the success of Mason, the Rams should be a team that is committed to establishing a dominant rushing attack in 2015. That theory was given more fuel when the Rams used the No. 10 overall pick in the draft to snag Todd Gurley out of Georgia.

Where does that leave Mason? Will he and Gurley be used as a combination to throw at opposing defenses, or will Mason's snaps be limited as he works behind the rookie?

What about the depth the team has behind these players? Do they have quality backups? Is there a guy that is flying under the radar who could have a tremendous showing in training camp and make a push for the final roster?

We will answer those questions here as we break down the running back position in St. Louis.

First-Tier Running Backs

• Todd Gurley
• Tre Mason
• Benny Cunningham
• Isaiah Pead

Mason may be considered the starter for the time being, but that won't last for long. Gurley will have to prove he is fully recovered from the torn ACL he suffered while playing for the Georgia Bulldogs last year, but once he does, the job is his.

Gurley has as much talent as any player in the entire draft. The Rams are going to enjoy having him in the backfield. When you look at Gurley's game film, it becomes clear very early that there isn't much he can't do.

Gurley can be a pounding runner that can wear down a defense with his physical style. On the very next carry, he can take it the distance for a touchdown. He possesses very good speed and vision and shows an excellent burst to the hole.

He's also a good receiver out of the backfield and is willing to step in and help out in blitz pickup. That will keep him on the field in all situations.

As a result, Mason will likely see a reduced role. He will be able to come in and spell Gurley and give him a quick breather, but when healthy, Gurley is a player the Rams won't want to take off the field very often, as he can do it all.

Running back was probably not seen as a huge need for the Rams entering the draft, but the selection of Gurley shows that the team wants a franchise back. Gurley's skills should also be a welcome addition for incoming quarterback Nick Foles.

Behind Gurley and Mason will be Benny Cunningham and Isaiah Pead.

Cunningham will be entering his third season, and his role as a utility back off the bench should not change. He has ran for 507 yards in his first two seasons in the league, but his ability as a receiver can't go unnoticed. Cunningham made 45 receptions in 2014, coming up big for a team that experienced plenty of problems at the quarterback position, and acting as a security blanket in many situations.

Cunningham will almost certainly enter the season as the team's No. 3 running back. He will be a player that the Rams will show plenty of confidence in if they have to turn to him due to injury or poor performance.

As for Pead, he sits at No. 4 on the depth chart, but that is a very tentative spot. He absolutely must show something during camp or he won't just lose his spot in the lineup, he'll likely be looking for a job elsewhere. 

Drafted in the second round in 2012, Pead came into the league with plenty of promise after playing at the University of Cincinnati. He has yet to do anything in the NFL, and missing the entire 2014 season with an injury didn't help his cause.

Now Pead is in a clear make-or-break situation. He will have to prove that he still has the ability to be worth a spot on the final roster. At the very least, he'll need to make an impact on special teams. However, there is a host of young, hungry running backs sitting lower on the depth chart who Pead will have to fend off in camp and preseason games.

Second-Tier Running Backs 

• Trey Watts
• Malcolm Brown
• Chase Reynolds
• Terrence Franks
• Zach Laskey 

Many of the names on that list may look unfamiliar, aside from maybe Trey Watts. However, he won't be worth much to the Rams for the first four games of the season after being suspended for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

Watts might have been a guy that the Rams could develop and mold into a productive NFL running back, but it will be hard to justify keeping him on the roster with the suspension looming. On the plus side, he is able to participate in all offseason activities and preseason games, so if Watts shows enough in those opportunities, he might convince the Rams to keep him around.

That will be a tough sell, though.

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Watts' suspension opens door for players like Isaiah Pead or undrafted rookies like Malcolm Brown or Terrence Franks to earn roster spot.

— Nate Latsch (@NateLatsch) May 29, 2015"

The player to watch on this list is Malcolm Brown. The former Texas Longhorn had a productive college career, finding the end zone 27 times. He is also used to working out of a running back committee, having shared a backfield with Johnathan Gray and Joe Bergeron at Texas.

Brown could earn a spot on the roster as a short-yardage back and develop his skills behind a solid trio of backs. He is a tough, straight-ahead runner that will be noticed in camp and preseason as the regular season draws near.

Chase Reynolds is the type of player coaches and fans love. He does all the little things that largely go unnoticed. After serving time on the Rams practice squad in 2011, 2012 and 2013, Reynolds made the roster in 2014 and went on to lead the special teams unit in tackles.

For that reason, Reynolds will be a tough guy to get rid of. Aggressive, selfless special teams players are a great asset for a team. But is that enough to warrant the Rams keeping more than four running backs on the roster?

Terrence Franks, an undrafted rookie out of Texas State, will have slim odds of making the roster. His best bet will be to land a spot on the team's practice squad.

The case of Zach Laskey, however, is a very intriguing one. Laskey is a fullback, a position many teams across the league don't even use anymore. That has included St. Louis—at least during Jeff Fisher's tenure. Fisher has preferred to move tight ends like Lance Kendricks and Cory Harkey into that role when necessary.

So, in many ways, Laskey will be battling the odds. He will not just be fighting the odds of making the team, he will be hoping that the team changes its offensive scheme, even if it's just a slight change.

Laskey is up to the task if they choose to retain him. He earned a spot on the All-ACC second team in 2014 while at at Georgia Tech, and he's also an excellent blocker.

Will Fisher be influenced to put a fullback on the roster again? With Gurley in the backfield, perhaps a fullback as a lead blocker would suit him best. But if Laskey makes the roster, what would that mean for a guy like Harkey?

For Laskey to improve his chances to make the team, he will almost certainly need to stand out on special teams. If he can do that, he has an outside shot of making the team.

Which Running Backs Will Make Final 53-Man Roster? 

• Todd Gurley
• Tre Mason
• Benny Cunningham
• Malcolm Brown
• Chase Reynolds 

Gurley, Mason and Cunningham are essentially locks to make the team. After that, it will be a very interesting competition in training camp.

Time will finally run out for Pead. The Rams will let him go, and just days later, another team looking for depth at the position will take a flier on him and hope he can produce at some point. The Rams just can't wait on him anymore.

With a guy like Brown on the team, the Rams will realize there is no need to keep Watts around and he'll be let go. Franks will be cut in training camp and considered for one of the slots on the practice squad.

The final spot will come down to Reynolds and Laskey. Both players will make a great case for a spot on the team. It will all depend on if the Rams want a fullback on the team or not. If they do, Laskey is a lock for the roster. If Fisher still feels that his blocking tight ends can fill that role, Laskey will be gone.

For now, we'll say Fisher chooses that route and sticks with Reynolds and his ability to make plays on special teams.