There are only two weeks left before the start of the season and the Los Angeles Rams have yet to settle on a starting offensive line. It’s not completely out of the ordinary but sooner than later, they’d probably like to figure out who will be their five best linemen for Week 1.
As they search for their starting five, they’ve rotated players in practice – a lot. So Matthew Stafford has played behind a bunch of different combinations, similar to what the Rams went through last year due to injuries.
After practice with the Broncos on Wednesday, Stafford was asked if the rotations matter to him but he doesn’t seem bothered at all.
“No, I think everybody that’s been in there has been doing a great job,” Stafford said. “I think ‘Wendy’ (O-line coach Ryan Wendell) is doing a great job getting ready to go and whoever we have in there at the time – and let’s go play. I can’t sit there and think about anything other than what I’m seeing on the backend or trying to get us into the right plays, so those guys have been doing a great job. I think the biggest thing that we’re stressing and those guys are showing and answering is just play with an attitude, man. We’re a big front when we got those guys out there and go play physical.”
Sean McVay is at the forefront of trying to sort out the Rams’ offensive line, whether it’s Alaric Jackson or Joe Noteboom at left tackle or Brian Allen or Coleman Shelton at center – or even Tremayne Anchrum Jr. or Noteboom at right guard.
The spots that seem determined are left guard with Steve Avila and right tackle with Rob Havenstein, though Jackson and Anchrum sound like they’re inching closer to locking down their respective starting spots, too.
McVay has preached the importance of finding the Rams’ best five, but he’s not stressing about the lack of clarity as the season approaches. He does admit it’s not ideal, though.
“You know what, I’m not going to waste my time with stuff that, hey, is it ideal? No. But it’s not something that I’m going to waste any sort of time on,” McVay said. “When those guys are back, we’ll continue to coach them up, but in the meantime, we’ve got minimal opportunities to be able to get better. I thought it seemed like we took a step in the right direction.”
Noteboom’s undisclosed injury might make it a bit easier for the Rams to decide on a starting left tackle and right guard because he’s not out there practicing, so they have little choice but to play Jackson and Anchrum.
When Noteboom returns, it’ll bear watching to see whether he can push Anchrum at right guard before Week 1 comes.
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