Top Rams CB Ahkello Witherspoon activated, will play vs. Panthers

Ahkello Witherspoon, the top cornerback for the Los Angeles Rams, is off injured reserve and will play for the NFC-leading squad on the road Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.

Witherspoon has missed the majority of the season due to a broken scapula he sustained in the second week against the Tennessee Titans. Before that injury, Witherspoon had emerged as the team's primary ball hawk at the corner position, being a primary reason why the Rams made the playoffs in the 2024 season.

In his absence, however, the Rams' defense has transformed into one of the better secondaries in the league, with performance across the board improving. No one has personified that more than former first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes Jr., who went from being waived by the team that drafted him in the Washington Commanders to establishing himself as one of the standout defensive backs so far this season.

Witherspoon, 30, is similar to Forbes Jr. and many of the pieces in the Rams' secondary. A third-round pick out of Colorado, he played for the San Francisco 49ers for a few seasons before becoming a journeyman around the league, bouncing from city to city before finally finding a home in Los Angeles.

The Rams, who have built their defense through strong drafting and reclamation projects, have seen Witherspoon transform from a depth bench guy to being one of the leaders in the defensive locker room. His tenacity and fight are trademarks of one of football's strongest defenses, which also happens to be one of the cheapest.

The addition of Witherspoon is a giant boon for the Rams, who recently saw one of their other secondary captains, Quentin Lake, sidelined for the rest of the regular season. Lake, having his best season, has a dislocated elbow and was placed on injured reserve, with the hope that he can return for the playoffs if the Rams make it.

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Top Rams CB Ahkello Witherspoon activated, will play vs. Panthers