With the exception of the 2019 season, the Rams have fielded a strong offensive line in just about every season of Sean McVay’s five-year tenure since 2017. It’s been a major part of the franchise’s rapid turnaround, going from last-place finishers in the NFC West to perennial contenders.
They’ll take on a new challenge in 2022 after Andrew Whitworth retired and Austin Corbett left to join the Panthers in free agency. The Rams will miss both players this season, but the offensive line isn’t suddenly going to fall apart without them.
Heading into the upcoming season, Pro Football Focus ranked the Rams’ offensive line 11th overall, putting them in the second tier called “High floor.” We know Joe Noteboom will replace Whitworth at left tackle, and that David Edwards, Brian Allen and Rob Havenstein will be back as starters, but the right guard position has yet to be filled.
PFF projects rookie Logan Bruss to start there, which wouldn’t be much of a surprise at all.
There’s no completely replacing the retired Andrew Whitworth for the Rams’ offensive line, but one of the most underrated offensive linemen in the NFL is taking his place. Joe Noteboom has never been a full-time starter for Los Angeles, but he’s been fantastic whenever on the field. Noteboom allowed only five pressures on 142 pass-blocking snaps last season.
In PFF’s post-2021 O-line rankings, the site put the Rams 7th, so they’ve fallen four spots since then. That’s not a steep drop-off considering the two starters Los Angeles lost, and the Rams still have one of the better units in the NFL.
It’s just not quite the group that the Eagles (1st), Browns (2nd) and Lions (3rd) have, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Rams are the highest-ranked NFC West team on PFF’s list entering 2022, with the 49ers coming in at No. 14, the Cardinals 25th and the Seahawks dead last at No. 32.