Center is the need

[BonifayRam]

My thoughts have been posted in many posts in this thread pre-draft. Now post draft I do not expect to see any OL changes in the starters from late last year other than Havenstein being the initial starting RT. Austin Corbett being the only projected starter that was not here for TC & preseason last year might make him a more likely candidate to be challenged.
I do not see this flv. Corbett just does not have the length to play OT in the NFL. If the worse happens & Corbett comes into TC physically not ready to win the LG post outright then he would then be negated down to LG/OC reserve contention. Corbett's competition for starting LG stands to be Brewer, Allen, Kolone, Shelton, Anchrum & even Demby. So Corbett better be ready.

Thanks, Bonifay. As I have been sharing, I have little doubt the Rams brass have a plan, I am just concerned about it. I am also very supportive of McSnead and company with what they have done over the years. Last year's plan for the OL didn't go as planned. The players you listed do not inspire confidence that the center position will be upgraded this fall outside the potential exception to Corbett. That's just my opinion and I hope like hell I am wrong. Do you feel as though we have the pieces in place to have an elite offensive line across the board?

You're not the only one who is concerned. The 2019 plan was the best they could do.....but injuries hit hard. Even before the injuries to Blythe, Noteboom, Allen & Havenstein the plan was not a well-thought-out plan IMO. The Snead/McVay duo had yet to feel the significant pain of a severely weakened injured OL as a GM/HC. Still, Not so sure they have really learned their lesson fully either.alm:

Ref the high amount of OC prospects & lack of confidence they inspire.... I fully understand. Much needs to be fully discovered here in Training Camp & preseason, particularly @ the OC position. Until we see a constant effective solid OL performance this season we all will have our concerns that they can do it as a unit. As to your question....NO I do not see an elite performing 2020 OL.

 

[Soul Surfer]

I've seen enough of Allen and Noteboom to be convinced that neither has the strength of blocking ability to play at this level.ability

I'm not talking about replacing Evans or Edwards. Blythe is on a one year deal and has had his very bad moments. Wentworth is getting older by the minute. You said Olinemen take time, and I agree. So who is the Center next year? Who plays OLT?

If I may;
I could see Corbett being the second string Center this year and taking over the starting job next year.
Maybe Shelton will be third-stringer this year and second-stringer next year.
Evans could be the swing tackle this year and take over left tackle next season but I wouldn't count Noteboom out at tackle next year.
It looks like we're going to camp with Havenstein which may be an excellent idea for our depth.
That would give us Evans off of the bench, ( which sounds like a great idea because he can get some more experience, get some more strength and we've got our own Plug and Play guy off the bench.
Having a high level of strength is more important in a guard than it is in a tackle, concerning your giving up on Noteboom.

Of course tackles have to have some strength but it's more about having technique that can keep a defense's premier pass rusher off of the quarterback's blind side for a couple seconds.

And it is doubtful that our next left tackle be quite as good as Whitworth was in his prime.
But that is more of a reflection of how good Whitworth is.

REALLY good.

 

[London_Ram]

I'm still of the mindset we should have improved the OL - and Center in paricular - in the draft. Cushenberry was my number choice for pick #52 and I was desperate for us to throw our 6th round pick to trade up in the 3rd ahead of Dallas not realising it was Denver who were going to pick him. I think he'd have made the position his own for the next however many year. However I'm seeing some method to the madness:-

2019
Rams total yards - 7th in NFL
Rams total PPG - 11th in NFL
Rams rushing yards - 26th in NFL
Rams YPC - 27th in NFL
Rams OL ranking - 31st in NFL according to PFF

I'd love a top 5 OL but do we need it to be more successful? Possibly. Probably not.

A 10% improvement in YPC only takes us up to 21st in the YPC rankings but would have taken us to #4 in total yards. The FO are banking on the development and improvement of Evans, Edwards etc but I don't they're expecting (or believe they need) it to jump from being 31st to a top 10 NFL OL and adding skill players is more beneficial. The OL don't need to be perfect, just better than they were for the strategy to have merit and in reality I can't see them being much worse!

Not the approach I'd have taken. I'd have loved a Center. But I'm understanding it more than I did in the immediate aftermath of the draft.

 

[Soul Surfer]

My thoughts have been posted in many posts in this thread.

Thank goodness for that.

You are a knowledgeable poster.

 

[Soul Surfer]

Regarding our ranking in any category last year;

Pretty much throw that out the window.
That crazy plan for a o line with a zero start Guard next to a zero start Center made me wonder if Jeff Fisher was still our head coach.

It was that bad of an idea.

This plan?
With the experience Corbett, Blythe, Edwards and Evans received last year and showed flashes of talent, just add a training camp (which we have no idea what that'll be) of the same starting five from last year's second half of the season and you have a chance to build cohesiveness on the offensive line.
I think if one of those players falters, the backups are not junk and someone in that group will be playing over their head and surprise you in Camp.

I have faith in every one of these guys we signed, (other than Demby, (who I'm still pulling for).

 

[simonblaze]

I keep seeing the mention of a "plan" the Rams have for the o line...

They also had a "plan" for Gurley...

They had another "plan" to sit first time starters Noteboom and Allen during the preseason...

Im thankful for Whit and Blythe coming back and I know there's reason for hope and great position coaches on staff but the reality is Whit is almost 2 yrs older than he was during our SB run, Havenstein got BENCHED (wasnt even activated at the end of the year) for a rookie, and we replaced a pro bowler in Saffold with a Cleveland Brown cast off...

I hope it all comes together but theres enough cause for concern there as much as there's reason to be hopeful. The O line did progress but McVay also went to a 2 TE play action offense in those games to help out Whit and Evans

With all that being said, im excited to see what the team will do this year.

 

[Kevin]

Evans has longer arms and smaller hands than Corbett, otherwise they are the same height and almost the same weight. Scouting reports on both men expected them to make a living in the NFL on the interior line, though Evans was thought to maybe become a right tackle.

 

[oldnotdead]

The Rams have 3 centers under contract right now. I think it's really revealing that until Brian got sick they were set with Allen and Shelton as their two centers. I think they would have used other OGs during TC as is usual but IMO they had their two. I think if Allen is 100% or even close to it then I think he gets his starting position back. Why people keep denigrating his play is beyond me. These same people think Sullivan is the standard for the position. Well Allen outplayed him before his injury. If Allen is healthy it's why I think they will stick to their plan with Allen and Shelton. Shelton was a good center at Washington and has the size and mobility lacking in Blythe. Both Allen and Shelton are good scheme fits for a power inside run attack. Blythe is a poor fit in that type of scheme and it's why they let him walk until Brian got sick.

 

[Soul Surfer]

@simonblaze
Wasn't Havenstein injured last year?
He almost had to be the way he regressed from the year before.
I think he's going to come into camp as ready as he's ever been if he wants his job back.

 

[BonifayRam]

The Rams have 3 centers under contract right now. I think it's really revealing that until Brian got sick they were set with Allen and Shelton as their two centers. I think they would have used other OGs during TC as is usual but IMO they had their two. I think if Allen is 100% or even close to it then I think he gets his starting position back. Why people keep denigrating his play is beyond me. These same people think Sullivan is the standard for the position. Well Allen outplayed him before his injury. If Allen is healthy it's why I think they will stick to their plan with Allen and Shelton. Shelton was a good center at Washington and has the size and mobility lacking in Blythe. Both Allen and Shelton are good scheme fits for a power inside run attack. Blythe is a poor fit in that type of scheme and it's why they let him walk until Brian got sick.

Below are the Rams centers under contract:

Austin Blythe | NFL Contracts & Salaries | Spotrac.com

Austin Blythe signed a 1 year, $4,000,000 contract with the Seattle Seahawks, including $2,500,000 signing bonus, $2,500,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $4,000,000.

www.spotrac.com

Coleman Shelton | NFL Contracts & Salaries | Spotrac.com

Coleman Shelton signed a 1 year, $3,000,000 contract with the Chicago Bears, including $750,000 signing bonus, $1,750,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $3,000,000.

www.spotrac.com

Brian Allen | NFL Contracts & Salaries | Spotrac.com

Brian Allen contract and salary cap details, full contract breakdowns, salaries, signing bonus, roster bonus, dead money, and valuations.

www.spotrac.com

Nate Trewyn | NFL Contracts & Salaries | Spotrac.com

Nate Trewyn signed a 2 year, $1,525,000 contract with the Los Angeles Rams, including an average annual salary of $762,500.

www.spotrac.com

Cohl Cabral | NFL Contracts & Salaries | Spotrac.com

Cohl Cabral signed a 2 year, $1,755,000 contract with the Dallas Cowboys, including an average annual salary of $877,500.

www.spotrac.com

If theses centers make this team here are there cap hits.....Blythe's $4 mil., Allen's $900K, Shelton $700K
Trewyn's $700K & rookie Cabral's $600K.

 

[simonblaze]

@simonblaze
Wasn't Havenstein injured last year?
He almost had to be the way he regressed from the year before.
I think he's going to come into camp as ready as he's ever been if he wants his job back.

He was injured and cleared to come back. I hope that it was the reason for the drop off in play but man it was such a STEEP drop off, it was weird to watch...Hav the year before was 1A and 1B with Ramczyk as far as top RT's in the league.

 

[wolfdogg]

Biadasz won the trophy for the top center last year as he went back to back all american. The only thing i find more amazing then him being available at the last pick in the 4th round is that the rams didnt take him by the 4 th round. Sure he had a little step back in pass pro last year but I would start him day one over allen or blyth who had 2019 ratings of 58 and 51 respectively. Besides dont we have some coaches who are supposed to make him better.

 

[Memento]

Biadasz won the trophy for the top center last year as he went back to back all american. The only thing i find more amazing then him being available at the last pick in the 4th round is that the rams didnt take him by the 4 th round. Sure he had a little step back in pass pro last year but I would start him day one over allen or blyth who had 2019 ratings of 58 and 51 respectively. Besides dont we have some coaches who are supposed to make him better.

I'd have personally drafted Biadasz myself...but a lot of teams failed his medical history. That's the only reason he fell.

 

[wolfdogg]

I'd have personally drafted Biadasz myself...but a lot of teams failed his medical history. That's the only reason he fell.

Well i guess he won the trophy injured so imagine what he can do healthy. Id still take him over what we have and we could have done it for nothing and still got our edge terrell just by trading down in the 3 rd

 

[PhillyRam]

I've seen enough of Allen and Noteboom to be convinced that neither has the strength of blocking ability to play at this level.ability

I'm not talking about replacing Evans or Edwards. Blythe is on a one year deal and has had his very bad moments. Wentworth is getting older by the minute. You said Olinemen take time, and I agree. So who is the Center next year? Who plays OLT?

Well maybe next yr they take a C in round 2 or they get a guy in FA. They will have much more cap room even after re-upping a few of their own.

Or maybe one of their young guys does step up. Allen, Trewyn (sp?), Corbett, or maybe Anchrum moves there. Possibly Blythe plays well in his first full season at C and they bring him back.

I would have liked to have seen Biadaz (sp?) in a trade up in the 5th, but it didn't happen of course.