I'm sorry, Smokey, but having to rely on Allen or Shelton would be OVER THE LINE! This is not 'Nam... there are RULES! Allen or Shelton?!?! ...(*click*, loads gun)...My friend, you'd be entering a world of pain...
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Austin Blythe to Chiefs
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I'm sorry, Smokey, but having to rely on Allen or Shelton would be OVER THE LINE! This is not 'Nam... there are RULES! Allen or Shelton?!?! ...(*click*, loads gun)...My friend, you'd be entering a world of pain...
I don't understand why any of us would rely on Allen or Shelton when there is Corbett, Anchrum & the very real possibility for a new draftee being added. jmo.
Cole played at Michigan. The Cardinals drafted Cole. I believe the Cardinals signed Shelton to their practice squad after being released by the 49ers as a UDFA, and the Rams signed him in 2019.
True enough. Would LOVE for Corbett and/or Anchrum to be viable alternatives.
Just feel like we've been burned before when we count on OL guys being able to switch positions seamlessly. Boom looked like a solid average LT, but a liability at G, for example. (And counting on an "inexperienced unknown"-- like Allen in 2019-- is damn risky, too.)
McVay and Snead sure have praised Blythe highly in the last month... they really might value him more than we fans do.
For me, Blythe represents a solid backup plan. Maybe Corbett or Anchrum or a rookie can play C. MAYBE. But it just feels awfully risky to not have a solid backup plan.
While Corbett was a college OT, his projection to the NFL was always as a Center or OG, so i'm not sure why fans have so much difficulty in him making the transition, other than just the fear for not having personally witnessed previous success at the Center position. He was forced into playing LG in the middle of 2019 while at the time learning the Center scheme & calls, and this without having ever taking an NFL regular game snap. In 2020 he swapped positions with Edwards at OG, again without ever taken an NFL snap at RG. If he's learned the calls, then I just don't see a problem moving him inside based on his earlier successes. Even if it weren't to work out as anticipated, we'd likely have a draftee training for the position along with guys like Anchrum & Shelton on stand-by. I'm not gonna sweat it. jmo.
They traded for Corbett 2 days after LG Joe Noteboom went down (week 6). They had 9 OL on the active roster and Brewer was on the practice squad at the time. OT's Whitworth, Evans, Havenstein. OG's Noteboom, Blythe, Edwards and Demby. C's Allen and Shelton. Was it Allen was so bad they traded for an OG to take his place at C or was it because they had a starting OG go down 2 days earlier? Edwards went in for Noteboom in game 7, after Demby finished the week 6 game. In week 9 (Pittsburgh) both Allen and Havenstein went down. Blythe went to center. Corbett started at LG and Edwards moved from LG to RG. Evans went to RT for Havenstein. Brewer came off the practice squad and Demby was inactive (often). With 1 guard injured (Noteboom), 1 guard moved to C (Blythe) and Demby being unable to hold down a backup spot, they ended with OT's Whitworth, Evans, Brewer and Havenstein (who was not IR'd with hopes he could return). OGs Edwards, Corbett and Demby. C's Blythe, Shelton. If they began cross training Corbett, that's their M.O. but he played OG once Allen went down. I think it might have been "maybe Corbett can play center, let's see what he has" but he was a starting G by week 10. I think some fans might be right in thinking it's Shelton or Anchrum and/or a draft pick at C. Given Anchrum's skillset, intelligence and heft, I hope he can play center.
At the time of Blythe's trade, local media was all about Corbett replacing the struggling Center.
Rams trade 2021 draft pick to Browns for OL Austin Corbett
Sean McVay said on Monday that the Los Angeles Rams would only look for offensive line help as a means for depth, not a starter. That may not have been the whole truth as the team acquired offensive lineman Austin Corbett from the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday. The team
theramswire.usatoday.com
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BonifayRam
Legend
Put the four the Rams have under contract & one or two centers from the draft .......Heck we have overloaded the center boat!
BonifayRam
Legend
The official measurement taker must be as old as me & have
eyesight as bad as mine
Perhaps, we fans are forcing Corbett and Anchrum into the equation and we don't know that McVay and Carberry are.
BonifayRam
Legend
We do know that the Rams have all four interior OL'ers signed under contract so there are already here.
We also are fully aware the Rams do not have their Passing coordinator that has been here for the last 3 seasons. Plus their long-time Assistant OL coach & finally the surprising departure of the Rams running game coordinator & OL coach .... all elsewhere. Sounds like a change is coming to my old working brain cell OldSchool.
We know that Carberry has been running a power OL scheme where he came from. No OL news is leaking out thus far! Of the many options that are open at this point, I would bet that the Rams trade a starting OL for a starting center.
While this may be true, not many Centers drafted as late as the Rams will be picking are Day 1 starters. So unless you are implying a free agent is automatic, who are your alternatives ?
I was simply implying the comment that we could have an abundance of center options is a fan creation. We do not know that Anchrum and/or Corbett factor into the Center position for the coaches. As for day 1 starters at any position for any draft rounds those things are broken every year. Hell this years top free agent center was a 5th round rookie starter. Buffalo, Indy, Denver, Vegas, Philly, Washington, Chicago, Minnesota, New Orleans and the Niners all have starting centers that started as rookies very few of them were 1st round picks. There are at least a half dozen other teams who's centers started at guard their first year before moving to center in year 2. At least half the league has a center that either started as a rookie or started at guard year 2 before moving over.
Hmmm... you guys seem almost to be suggesting that the Rams might possibly have a plan for someone to play center after all.
At the time of Blythe's trade, local media was all about Corbett replacing the struggling Center.
Rams trade 2021 draft pick to Browns for OL Austin Corbett
Sean McVay said on Monday that the Los Angeles Rams would only look for offensive line help as a means for depth, not a starter. That may not have been the whole truth as the team acquired offensive lineman Austin Corbett from the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday. The teamtheramswire.usatoday.com
I don't put much stock in that article. Those same people claim our O line played well this year. Yeah, they didn't allow many sacks because very few DL run a 4.2 forty and the passes came out in under 2.5 seconds. Hey, maybe Corbett can play center but he was a 4 year starter at OT with Nevada and was "projected to move inside, to either G or C" in the NFL. Don't get me wrong, I'd love for him to solve the C problem but I just don't know if he can.
I personally take Dabo Swinney's recommendation of Anchrum-- strength, smarts and leadership-- quite seriously. The Rams seem to really value him as well. I have to think there may be a plan for him, but whether it's center is impossible to know. Of course, we don't what Carberry thinks of any of our current players, and as posted we really haven't seen much of them either.
The next Rams' center is still a black box in so far as I can tell... which isn't very far.
I'm fine with drafting the best center available. But I would not be comfortable relying on a rookie or the other inexperienced guys. I would feel a lot better if they found a seasoned vet. Then let the best man win the job.
Well, Corbett has already solved two OG weaknesses in two years, and on very little notice. And while I don't know which article you are referring to, I believe the OL played remarkably well in 2020, ... other than poor Mr. Blythe at Center. People need to remember that both Edwards & Corbett weren't far evolved from rookie status at their positions last season, and Havenstein recovered from a poor 2019 season in pretty good form. Whitworth's injury was a set-back, but we didn't fall apart due to it, so yes, I believe the Rams did well considering the obstacles, certainly well enough to get us to the play-offs. jmo.
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Elmgrovegnome
Legend
I think if Brewer had returned then Anchrum would have been the primary backup inside last year. I love the competition inside. He apparently took over ORT backup away from Evans in 2020. So he may already be considered better than Evans at guard.