There are only two players selected in the first four rounds of the 2022 NFL draft who have played fewer than two games in their career: Logan Bruss and Matt Corral, both third-round picks. Corral has yet to be active and is currently a free agent, while Bruss is in Year 3 with the Rams and has played zero offensive snaps.
Even though he was only a third-round selection and drafted 104th overall, Bruss was the Rams’ top draft pick that year, which brought more attention than a typical third-rounder.
To say it’s been a difficult first two years in the NFL would be an understatement, but Bruss is finally turning things around. After missing his entire rookie season with a knee injury and then being cut before Week 1 in 2023, Bruss is in line to make his Rams debut on Sunday afternoon.
He’s battled all the way back from being a forgotten draft pick to now contributing in a meaningful way on Sundays.
With Jonah Jackson and Steve Avila both sidelined, Bruss will get the start at left guard against the 49ers this weekend – his first taste of regular-season action in the NFL. And assuming all goes well, he’ll likely be the Rams’ starting left guard for at least the next four games.
“It’s a great opportunity for him and he’s earned it,” Sean McVay said of Bruss. “He’s put himself in a position and he’s continued to get better. He’s really taken a lot of the coaching from Ryan Wendell, from Zak Kromer. You’ve seen him apply it in the practice settings in some of the preseason games. We’re looking forward to seeing Logan play well this week.”
Bruss was dealt a difficult hand. He tore his ACL in the preseason as a rookie, which delayed his development significantly. He battled his way back and tried to make the 53-man roster last year, but the Rams waived him before the season and stashed him on the practice squad all year where he was out of sight and out of mind for fans.
After signing a futures contract with the team this January, he put together his best offseason to date and earned himself a spot on the active roster. It was only as a backup guard, but with injuries up front, Bruss has worked his way into a starting role.
From his rookie year to now, he’s played tackle and guard, but he seems to be excelling on the interior, according to McVay.
Logan’s done a great job,” McVay said two weeks ago. “He’s improved. He’s shown that he can compete on both sides at the guard position. I think he’s really found his best position at the guard spot.”
Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur has watched Bruss improve over the last two years and can’t help but be impressed by the resilience and commitment shown by the former third-rounder out of Wisconsin.
“Just continue to get better. He just hasn’t stopped,” LaFleur said in August. “When it looked like it maybe was not going to work out for him, and he knows that, he just kept pushing through and those are the really cool ones right there, where you’re not sure, the player’s not sure, which you never want as a coach to see a player have to go through that. For him to just keep battling last year behind the scenes [and] on the practice squad, doing it in the scout team fashion then to be able to get his opportunities. He’s one that’s really benefited from the injuries we’ve had, and it’s shown.”
Bruss’ story isn’t complete, but the fact that he’s even earned this chance to start is impressive. As LaFleur said, it looked like he might not have a future with the Rams last year after getting cut, but he’s obviously put in the work and parlayed it into a meaningful role.
Though his first test being against the 49ers defense is no bargain, it’ll be good to see how he performs in his first NFL action of the regular season.