Exclusive | Rams stars get emotional over Jaylen Watsons devastating injury: Were going to do it for him

The Los Angeles Rams didn’t just lose a starting cornerback when Jaylen Watson underwent season-ending shoulder surgery Wednesday.They lost their muscle, their swagger and, as Matthew Stafford put it, their enforcer.“He’s a big-time talent and a guy that was an enforcer for us on the edge,” said Stafford of Watson.

“He’s a guy that brought it every single day, a guy that’ll be missed for sure.”For a defense already battered by injuries, losing the two-time Super Bowl champion was another gut punch.But inside the Rams locker room, the reaction went beyond football.

Watson wasn’t merely a teammate.He was a brother, and now, motivation to win.“We have to keep pushing forward and really do it for him now,” said Rams’ safety and team captain Quentin Lake.

“Be able to go out there, play hard, play fast for him, because that’s exactly what he would want us to do.”Stafford will miss Watson’s physicality day in and day out. “He’s a really talented player, really physical corner who tackles,” Stafford said Wednesday.“He had some fantastic games for us this season.”Head coach Sean McVay painted a picture of Watson’s toughness that explained why his absence will sting.During the Rams’ Week 7 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, Watson was cramping badly enough to require intravenous fluids.

His response?“Give me half a bag.I need to get back out there,” Watson told the medical staff, according to McVay.That’s the kind of player the Rams are losing.“You’ll miss the production, the toughness,” McVay said.

“His overall vibe and his swag.”McVay explained that another shoulder dislocation carried a significant risk of further damage, making surgery the right decision despite Watson’s desire to continue playing.“He’s such an amazing teammate, an amazing person, and the loss of his presence is definitely going to be felt,” Lake told the California Post in an exclusive interview.Lake revealed he texted Watson af...