There are a lot of positions on the Rams’ depth chart that still don’t have starters set at the top. The offensive line has four such positions with only left tackle settled at this point in the offseason.
Based on salary, right tackle should have its starter already written in ink, but not even Rob Havenstein’s $8.1 million can assure him the starting job in 2020. Bobby Evans took over at right tackle late last season after Havenstein was injured and played relatively well as a rookie.
That’s created somewhat of a tricky situation heading into next season because Havenstein is paid like a top tackle, but he didn’t play like one last year.
With no OTAs or minicamp taking place right now, this competition will likely be settled once training camp begins. The lack of on-field work has complicated things for the Rams and their coaches, but at the very least, they can feel good about having two starting-caliber players at right tackle.
Sean McVay addressed the position on a conference call with reporters on Tuesday, saying he’s confident Havenstein will rebound from an injury-plagued 2019 season. He also mentioned that Evans could play guard, which adds to the intrigue along the offensive line.
“What you feel good about at right tackle is Rob Havenstein is such a tough player. He was pushing through some injuries that I do think led to not seeing him play consistently at the level we’re accustomed to. I’m fully confident that he’ll get back to that. He’s feeling good,” McVay said. “I thought Bobby Evans being able to step in and play well toward the latter half of the season was really good for his confidence, but I’m not convinced that guy couldn’t play guard, either. So I think we’ve got some guys that are versatile – we know we have players that can play – but it’s about finding ways to get the best five on there and certain guys might have a little bit more position flex and I think until we get out and are really playing football again, that’s the challenging part of what these times entail.”
Havenstein was rewarded with a contract extension before the 2018 season, and he made the Rams look smart for giving him a new deal. He played at a level deserving of a Pro Bowl nod two seasons ago, allowing just two sacks, committing only two penalties and earning an overall grade of 86.4 from PFF.
Last year, it was a different story. He gave up five sacks and committed eight penalties in about half the snaps played in 2018. His PFF grade dropped off precipitously, falling to 50.9.
As McVay mentioned, Havenstein battled through injuries, which impacted his performance. He missed the end of the year with a knee injury, and even after he returned to practice in full, the Rams held him out as a precaution.
Evans was playing well enough to allow Havenstein to rest and recover, but he also got a lot of help from his tight ends with double-teams and chips at the line. Havenstein was left on an island, so to speak, much more often when he was healthy.
This is an important position for the Rams to figure out, especially with how often teams put their best pass rushers on the strong side against right tackles. If Havenstein can’t rebound in 2020 and Evans beats him out by a wide margin, he could be on the trade block in an attempt to recoup a draft pick and free up $4.66 million, according to Over the Cap.
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