The Los Angeles Rams are paying Rob Havenstein more than $8 million per year after giving him an extension in 2018, but he’s not a lock to start at right tackle next season. He was replaced by Bobby Evans last season after suffering a leg injury, and despite practicing in full after recovering, Havenstein still didn’t reclaim his starting job late in the year.
Entering 2020, Havenstein will need to beat out the second-year lineman if he wants to reenter the starting lineup. If he fails to do so, the Rams could conceivably trade him and free up some cap space in the process.
Right tackle is one of the most important position battles on the roster this offseason and will be decided in training camp – whenever it takes place. Right now, it’s hard to discern who the Rams will start on the right side of their line.
New offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell doesn’t know who it’ll be, but he has confidence in both Havenstein and Evans.
“As far as the tackles go, we’re incredibly lucky to have ‘Whit’ [Andrew Whitworth] over there on the left side. I know Jared [Goff] sleeps well at night knowing he’s got the big fella over there,” O’Connell said on a conference call with reporters. “But at the same time, that competition and those two guys over there at the right tackle spot, I personally just watching the tape and really studying those guys, I’ve got a ton of confidence in both of them. it’s going to be a great situation for us to have the depth there because the importance of both of those edges being firm and being something that we can have a lot of confidence in is huge.”
It’s hard to imagine a scenario where Evans wins the starting job and the Rams keep Havenstein as a backup at more than $8 million per year. He’d be a great backup to have, but they’d be better off trading him and recouping what would likely be a Day 2 draft pick.
Evans is a lock to be on the roster and has been mentioned as a potential heir to Andrew Whitworth at left tackle, so if Havenstein does win the right tackle job, Evans will stick around as the swing tackle.