Jared Goff will miss Gurley, Cooks, but he’s confident in their replacements

[Rampage]

Getty Images

The Rams traded receiver Brandin Cooks. They released Todd Gurley.

Rams quarterback Jared Goff will miss some familiar faces when the starting unit lines up again.

Goff said in a Zoom call with the team’s beat reporters Wednesday that he understands the business of the NFL. That doesn’t make it any easier.

Goff has exchanged texts with Gurley, who has agreed to terms with the Falcons.

“It’s tough to lose friends,” Goff said, via video from the team. “I think it’s always super tough to lose friends and teammates, and that’s part of the business. I’m in year five now and kind of getting [used to it], but at the same time, me and Brandin and me and Todd are extremely close and always will be. So it is tough from that standpoint, losing those guys. I understand there’s a business in this game and those two guys understand that as well, and that was a decision made. Whatever the decision is, we move forward. It’s hard definitely, just from a friends’ standpoint to lose those guys with different teams.”

At the same time, Goff expects the Rams to be “just fine” with their replacements. Running back Darrell Henderson Jr. and receiver Josh Reynolds are expected to become full-time starters, and tight ends Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett could see more opportunities.

“I’d have to wait to see who we get on the field to give you that answer [as to how the offense will be different],” Goff said. “I would expect some of the stuff that was tailored to Brandin and Todd to be not there anymore. That’s the easiest way to say it. There was a lot of runs that Todd really liked and a lot of stuff that we did to get Todd the ball in certain ways. Will be do that for Malcolm [Brown] and Darrell? Probably in different ways. But there was some stuff specific to Todd, and the same thing with Brandin. Some plays that he was really good that we really liked that he helped us a lot with that probably will be implemented with Josh and Woody [Robert Woods] and Cooper [Kupp] in different ways.”