Davis Allen appears set to be available when the Rams open the season against the 49ers, a small but meaningful development for a team that leaned heavily on tight ends last season. After missing a few weeks of training camp with a quadriceps injury, Allen was not listed on the Rams' injury report ahead of Thursday's game, which is the clearest sign yet that he is ready to go for Week 1.
That matters because Allen was a useful part of the offense last year even without being a headline player. He appeared in all 17 regular-season games and set career highs with 33 targets, 24 catches, 208 yards and three touchdowns. Those are not star numbers, but they do show why his availability helps the Rams maintain continuity in a role that clearly mattered in the offense.
What his return means
The Rams do not need Allen to carry the offense, but they do need reliable options at tight end, especially in a system that used that position frequently last season. If Sean McVay felt comfortable enough to describe him as "ready to go," that suggests the team believes Allen can resume his normal workload after the camp setback.
There is still a difference between being active and being fully sharp, of course. A player who missed a few weeks rarely snaps right back into rhythm without some adjustment, and the opener can expose that. But the important point for the Rams is simpler: Allen is not on the injury report, and that puts him in position to contribute when Los Angeles faces San Francisco on Thursday in Australia.
For a roster trying to start cleanly in Week 1, that is useful news. It does not change the whole shape of the season, but it does reduce one early uncertainty, and that can matter more than it sounds.
