The carousel along the offensive line has already started turning for the Los Angeles Rams this season due to injuries suffered by Rob Havenstein, Joe Noteboom and Steve Avila, as well as the two-game suspension being served by Alaric Jackson.
The result has been constant shuffling in practice and in the season opener, forcing the Rams to start players they never planned to start three months ago. Heading into Week 2, there are serious questions about what the offensive line will look like against the Cardinals.
As of now, Noteboom and Avila are definitely out after being placed on IR, and both Havenstein and Kevin Dotson are uncertain to play. Havenstein is still recovering from an ankle injury suffered in camp and Dotson injured his toe on Sunday, but Sean McVay expects him to play this week.
With reinforcements arriving this week, the Rams have a few options on their offensive line, none of which is ideal.
If Havenstein returns
LT: McClendon
LG: Jackson
C: Limmer
RG: Dotson
RT: Havenstein
Havenstein hasn’t yet been ruled out for Week 2 so there’s still a chance he could play. And after being questionable last week, it’s presumed that he’ll have an even better shot of playing this weekend. If he does suit up, McVay said there’s a possibility the Rams would move McClendon to left tackle and start Havenstein at right tackle.
If Havenstein is out
LT: Nsekhe or Christian
LG: Jackson
C: Limmer
RG: Dotson
RT: McClendon
If Havenstein misses a second straight game, the Rams could turn to one of their two new tackles: Ty Nsekhe or Geron Christian. It’s hard to know which one would get the start at left tackle, as both have experience playing there, but Nsekhe might have an edge because he played in this offense in 2022. That would also leave McClendon at right tackle, where he played in Week 1.
If Dotson and Havenstein can’t play
LT: Nsekhe or Christian
LG: Jackson
C: Limmer
RG: Bruss
RT: McClendon
McVay expects Dotson to play but that’s far from guaranteed after he was a non-participant in Wednesday’s practice. If he’s out, the Rams could go with Logan Bruss at right guard and McClendon at right tackle, assuming Havenstein isn’t ready to return.
If Nsekhe and Christian aren’t ready to play yet
LT: Arcuri
LG: Jackson
C: Limmer
RG: Dotson
RT: McClendon
A.J. Arcuri filled in for Alaric Jackson and Noteboom at left tackle on Sunday, albeit with poor results. We know the Rams won’t have either Jackson or Noteboom this weekend, which leaves the door open for Arcuri to potentially start again. That seems unlikely after the signings of Nsekhe and Christian, but it’s not been ruled out. If neither veteran is ready to go on Sunday, it could be Arcuri at LT again.
All of these scenarios are a far cry from what the Rams projected their offensive line to look like all summer: Jackson, Avila, Jackson, Dotson and Havenstein. Only one of those players is certain to play on Sunday (Jackson) and Dotson is likely to play, so there will still be at least three backups on the field against Arizona.
Every team deals with injuries but the Rams have been bitten by an injury bug that won’t stop biting.