Coleman Shelton

[PARAM]

That’s my question. I think Shelton is a smart experienced OC but how much help from the OGs does he need. He is physically overmatched against the better NTs.

Center is the least paid position on the OL across the league for a reason but people want this dominant center when bang for your buck it doesn't add as much to EPA as other positions on the team (let alone the least important OL position). Since centers rarely block anyone 1 on 1 and their job is to make line calls and assist block the guards, teams often just use less athletic, smaller but more intelligent guys there.

Can you do cool things with a dominant center, absolutely! Same with a dominant LB. But it's not as important as other positions.

I am interested to see Dedich get a little more time at center this preseason FWIW.

Shelton doesn't get help from OGs, he helps the OGs. As do most centers.

Most NTs are not lining up directly over him and those that are slanted to take the gap on either side of him (more likely) are still mostly blocked by OGs with a secondary block from him. Centers in the NFL today do not get help from OGs (nor was this that big a thing in the past). They help OGs.

Teams just don't play 0 tech anymore with their nose which is directly over center and with less teams playing base D teams just don't really two gap anymore.

This issue of blocking a NT head on is a thing but it's really a minor issue blown way out of proportion by one poster. Of course, I'm open to being convinced otherwise if someone can show me examples of this not only happening more than a handful of times in the season or it happening in such a way as to derail downs regularly on drives.

Yeah, Shelton just isn't up to it, eh?

The last 3 years the Rams had the #1 offense (2025), #15 (2024) and #7 (2023). One of these things is not like the others. Coincidence, the year Shelton played in Chicago?

 

[IkeBruciest]

Rams value brains more than probably any other team. Kinda like Kyren, Shelton isn't athletic or powerful compared to others at his position, but he does all the little things that helps his team win. Kyren may be the slowest starting RB and Shelton one of the weakest starting O linemen, but they know the offense like a coach on the field.

 

[OldSchool]

Again I know we disagree somewhat on Shelton. He is great at his line calls and has an excellent rapport with Stafford, so those are two major factors why Shelton was brought back. Furthermore, he had his best season according to PFF both running and in pass protection.

Now that being posted, I would look for a succession plan and they have some options on the roster currently with Dedich, Dylan McMahon (taken from the Eagles 3 years ago) & the Tar Heel duo of Austin Blaske and the Lindberg baby, Chad. Beaux Limmer also will have his opportunity, but after the Whiff in the city of brotherly love, Limmer has been a Deer in head lights ever since.

As to top centers to keep your eye on come this college football season, Sherdian Wilson (Texas Tech), Greg Johnson (Minnesota) & my favorite Joe Otting (Notre Dame). Besides seeing more of Otting, when you think of a good center name, IMO, you can't go wrong with Joe Otting.

Being good at line calls is fine. Being average at best for the rest of his job does little for us. That leaves a lot of room for us to upgrade.

And you know how I feel about PFF besides the fact you said "his best year" which isn't much of an endorsement

The bolded part offers absolutely nothing encouraging for options beyond Shelton.

Now Otting is fine but you might remember who my guy is. And this is a centers name!


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De-PPRd9jhI

 

[fanotodd]

That’s my question. I think Shelton is a smart experienced OC but how much help from the OGs does he need. He is physically overmatched against the better NTs.

Most Centers are. You aren’t doing your job as a NT if you are being handled by one blocker. Every run play calls for a double team or two on the OL.

 

[WestCoastRam]

And agree that we can and should eventually upgrade at center.

 

[DzRams]

That’s my question. I think Shelton is a smart experienced OC but how much help from the OGs does he need. He is physically overmatched against the better NTs.

There's gotta be a stat for this. Anybody?

 

[PARAM]

I think it should be called the Humphries effect. After passing over him in 2021, we'll never have a center as good as Creed. That seems to be the story some are sticking to.......

.....so yes, in that respect Shelton is not the guy who is better.

 

[Merlin]

I think it should be called the Humphries effect. After passing over him in 2021, we'll never have a center as good as Creed. That seems to be the story some are sticking to.......

.....so yes, in that respect Shelton is not the guy who is better.

I suppose that's a useful opinion if your goal is to neatly package the opinions you don't agree with on Shelton, so as to easily disregard them.

Personally I'm not bothered at all by those who feel Shelton's the right dude for the job. I just don't agree.

Also the player who I think would have helped us in this draft was Slaughter, who went to the Chargers. But I'm glad the Rams went with Klare two picks prior. Hopefully we win it all and can revisit this question in the offseason.

 

[PARAM]

I suppose that's a useful opinion if your goal is to neatly package the opinions you don't agree with on Shelton, so as to easily disregard them.

Personally I'm not bothered at all by those who feel Shelton's the right dude for the job. I just don't agree.

I don't have to neatly package them to easily disregard them. I can easily disregard them on an individual basis!

Personally, I'm not bothered by those who believe Shelton is not the right dude for the job.

More than likely, they were also convinced Allen wasn't the right dude for the job. And they were totally convinced we had to have Creed Humphrey.

So they can kvetch and complain, as wannabe GMs are apt to do, and I'll simply enjoy the success we have with who we've got.

 

[PhillyRam]

I suppose that's a useful opinion if your goal is to neatly package the opinions you don't agree with on Shelton, so as to easily disregard them.

Personally I'm not bothered at all by those who feel Shelton's the right dude for the job. I just don't agree.

Also the player who I think would have helped us in this draft was Slaughter, who went to the Chargers. But I'm glad the Rams went with Klare two picks prior. Hopefully we win it all and can revisit this question in the offseason.

Yeah, hopefully they have a great 26' season and then can comeback next year and trade back from pick 32. Maybe a couple of trade downs, and end up with 4 or 5 picks in the 50 to 120 range that can soften the blow from a number of expected FA departures over the next few years.

 

[JonRam99]

I suppose that's a useful opinion if your goal is to neatly package the opinions you don't agree with on Shelton, so as to easily disregard them.

Personally I'm not bothered at all by those who feel Shelton's the right dude for the job. I just don't agree.

Also the player who I think would have helped us in this draft was Slaughter, who went to the Chargers. But I'm glad the Rams went with Klare two picks prior. Hopefully we win it all and can revisit this question in the offseason.

Ya I really wanted Slaughter too, a big guy right in the middle.
While it's true our OC doesn't have to be the biggest guy on the field; and having all the above-the-neck skills is great; and OC's generally help the OG's on either side: didn't the Iggles rush us straight up the middle in the '24 playoff game?? or am I misremembering? iirc they did a lot of damage on stunts etc. right up the middle.
A bigger guy like Slaughter would've really helped with that. Don't get me wrong--you can't argue with success (#1 offense in '25), so I'm very happy w/ Shelton. But it certainly is a position that could be upgraded.
But I'm happy we got Trost, imho a swing OT was much more critical than getting Slaughter.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Ya I really wanted Slaughter too, a big guy right in the middle.
While it's true our OC doesn't have to be the biggest guy on the field; and having all the above-the-neck skills is great; and OC's generally help the OG's on either side: didn't the Iggles rush us straight up the middle in the '24 playoff game?? or am I misremembering? iirc they did a lot of damage on stunts etc. right up the middle.
A bigger guy like Slaughter would've really helped with that. Don't get me wrong--you can't argue with success (#1 offense in '25), so I'm very happy w/ Shelton. But it certainly is a position that could be upgraded.
But I'm happy we got Trost, imho a swing OT was much more critical than getting Slaughter.

A big guy would be great but he needs to know that a Pro Bowler (like Jalen Carter) needs to be blocked, and not allowed to run-free to the Quarterback ... especially on a critical play in a Championship Game.

Beaux Limmer is a big center ... he just couldn't figure-out that either he or Dotson needed to ... AT LEAST TRY ... to block Carter.

 

[BonifayRam]

Rams OL starters last season to the right & left of CS were very large OL'ers. To the right was 330lbs & 320 or 315lbs. To the left there was 340 lbs & 330 Lbs. Thus CS was surrounded with very big guys with exception RG Dedich @ 295lbs filled in for Dotson. The same set is set back up this season. I do not put much weight on there being size issues with CS.

For me, Its really difficult to find fault with CS performance as a starter in 2022/ 2023 & 2025. CS played 3 {THREE} seasons as a starter for a total of only a total of $7.75 million of a salary cap hit. Only a little over $2.3 million a season. Am I wrong to believe that's a very big contribution for very little cap $$$ hit! Bargain!

CS gave this Ram team the best on field performance @ center since the 2017/2018 season with veteran all pro John Sullivan had a salary cap hit of over $7.5 million a season. Going back a decade of McVay OC's with the likes of OC starters Barnes/ Blythe/ Rhaney & always injured Brian Allen seasons having CS provides me a comfortable feeling going into 2026.

I should throw in CS was raised in the LA area.

 

[snackdaddy]

We can debate all we want over whether or not Shelton is good enough. Bottom line, McVay wanted him and thinks he's good enough. We don't have a choice in the matter. And we shouldn't. None of us know the team better than McVay.

 

[Allen2McVay]

A big guy would be great but he needs to know that a Pro Bowler (like Jalen Carter) needs to be blocked, and not allowed to run-free to the Quarterback ... especially on a critical play in a Championship Game.

Beaux Limmer is a big center ... he just couldn't figure-out that either he or Dotson needed to ... AT LEAST TRY ... to block Carter.

Just want to correct my error.

While my above thought stands ... that was NOT a Championship Game