The offensive line was a clear weak spot on the Rams’ roster last season, turning into a revolving door with eight different players starting at least six games. The unit is hardly sorted out heading into 2020, but it seems two positions already have starters lined up.
We’ve known that Andrew Whitworth will be the left tackle after signing a three-year extension, but after hearing Austin Blythe discuss his expectations, it seems he’s already locked up the starting center job.
He appeared on the Rams Revealed podcast with J.B. Long and all but confirmed he’ll be the starting center this season over Brian Allen. Long said that his conversations with Sean McVay indicated that Blythe will be the starting center, so he asked Blythe if that’s the feeling he’s gotten from the Rams, too.
“Yeah, yeah. And I think that was one of the main reasons why I came back to the Rams,” he said. “Because I came into the league initially thinking that I’d be a center. I never had an inkling that I’d start significant games at guard. I knew that a possibility just based on my position coming into the league, being an interior offensive lineman, playing those positions in college. But I did not by any means think I’d have this many starts at guard over center. So I’m very excited for the opportunity to play a position I’m very comfortable in and excited to grow off those eight games that I played in last year at center.”
The Rams re-signed Blythe to a one-year deal this offseason after he hit free agency, and it’s not as if he was paid like someone who would be a backup. His deal is worth $3.9 million with $3.5 million of that guaranteed for just one season.
Connecting the dots between his contract and his recent comments about playing center, it sure seems like he’ll be the one snapping the ball to Jared Goff to start the 2020 season.
Long asked Blythe how being the “assumed starting center” will impact his preparation and mindset heading into this season, and the fifth-year veteran didn’t downplay the significance.
“I think it has a huge impact. Last year going into the season, I didn’t take any reps at center. I would go out there for center-quarterback exchange five minutes before practice started and get some snaps there, but that’s just snapping the football – that’s easy to do,” he said. “In terms of actually preparing at the center spot, it’s a different animal. You’re on the line of scrimmage, you’re closer to the guy you’re going to have to block, versus guard where you’re a little bit further off the ball. Guys have a little bit more space to make moves – it just takes longer at the guard spot. I know it seems minuscule, but it does make a difference. So that sort of thing, I’ll be able to get comfortable with before even having to play a game versus going in there second quarter of the Steelers game and going with it on the fly. Offensive line is offensive line, but there are little nuances to different positions on the line.”
As Blythe said, he came into the league as a center before transitioning to guard out of necessity with the Rams. Now that he’s in line to start at center again, his confidence level should rise.
Assuming he is the Week 1 starter, it spells bad news for Allen, who injured his MCL and was placed on IR in November. He’s still recovering from the injury and he doesn’t have any experience at guard, nor the size to play anywhere but center.
He could be a backup to Blythe in 2020, or worse yet, a surprise camp cut when the Rams trim their roster to 53 players.