David Edwards picking up where he left off

[FarNorth]

It would be best that Edwards remain in the same starting Left OG position. Continuing to build with him as a cornerstone rock on that blindside.

The real element here involving your point about the future LT post is........ Kromer needs to figure out where or if Joseph Noteboom is a possible bonafide starting LT 2020 prospect? Kromer preferred Noteboom over Edwards as his starter on the left side. That Kromer decision alone causes me big concern especially since Edwards is by far the better overall performing LG.

Many here & that would include me, believed from just our fan observations from watching the Rams 16 gms in the 2019 season & for the 11 gms that Rookie Edwards:

#1- was better LG than Noteboom in 2019.
#2- performed much better @ LG than RG in 2019.
#3- should have been the starting LG from the beginning of the 2020 season.

If or when Noteboom does return from the injured reserve designation & he replaces Edwards in the LG post .....then Kromer will have done permanent damage with me (Not that he cares). If Kromer is foaming @ the mouth on getting Noteboom snaps with the offense every week then the road is wide open as the all-important swing OT.........I would blend him in @ the LT post with Whitworth.

This would keep the near 39 yr old LT rested & fresh for the playoff run. Keeping the NFL's oldest starting OL'er in this condition is a very wise move. Kromer has NO current need to have Noteboom in "stand & ready" position @ OG posts. Kromer is fat (maybe corpulent) with reserve interior OL'ers but his healthy OT reserve shelf is vacant & empty.

Two Rams make PFF’s first-quarter All-Pro team

Can you guess which Rams were selected by PFF through four weeks?

sports.yahoo.com

Two Rams were recognized by Pro Football Focus on the site’s first-quarter All-Pro team, one on each side of the ball. Andrew Whitworth got the nod as the best left tackle in the league,

Imo it is still an open question whether Noteboom can eventually play left tackle. It seems clear that the Rams and Kromer wanted to give Noteboom playing time to develop before they have to make that call. Noteboom has the mobility, length and physical strength to play LT. But he has not had many games or much continuity as an actual player.

If he can develop as a blocker, he might be the future guy at LT. If not, fine, he can be a backup. But if the Rams don't find that out before they have to replace Whit, they may be looking at another draft choice or FA acquisition to do so. Doesn't make sense to move to those pricey options until they are certain about whether Noteboom can handle it.

That's not an irrational strategy even though it may not be popular.

 

[BonifayRam]

Imo it is still an open question whether Noteboom can eventually play left tackle. It seems clear that the Rams and Kromer wanted to give Noteboom playing time to develop before they have to make that call. Noteboom has the mobility, length and physical strength to play LT. But he has not had many games or much continuity as an actual player.

If he can develop as a blocker, he might be the future guy at LT. If not, fine, he can be a backup. But if the Rams don't find that out before they have to replace Whit, they may be looking at another draft choice or FA acquisition to do so. Doesn't make sense to move to those pricey options until they are certain about whether Noteboom can handle it.

That's not an irrational strategy even though it may not be popular.

Joseph Noteboom contract as a Ram runs for one more season. Not sure how long a torn calf muscle will keep Noteboom on the IR? I am thinking he will be on the IR until the bye weekend. I believe that a healthy Noteboom is our current best LT IF there was a need for a new starting LT.

What would be a much bigger element on Noteboom is his ability to remain healthy. Two back to back seasons on the IR is far from assuring. If I were Snead I would have my college scouts spending a lot of their time on pure LT prospects coming out in the 2021 draft. So the Rams would have one season left with Noteboom to get one more last chance to see if he is what they thought they got back in 2018......a future good starting LT.......then there is a chance that Whitworth who is under contract to play in 2021 can be a part-time player either with Noteboom or the newly drafted 2nd day 2021 LT draft prospect.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

Yes, Whitworth continues to not practice on Thursdays, but as to which Ram OL'er is getting any practice snaps @ LT when Whitworth is getting rest is an unknown. OT Bobby Evans the listed LT back up is also not practicing due to injury.

It sure was not Noteboom last season because he was the starting LG until he was injured. As to which OL'er was getting them in 2019 was mostly speculation as best I know. This Training Camp Noteboom was primarily working on the LG post since he was once again the designated starter there. I did read where Rookie Tremayne Anchrum was getting snaps @ LT.

Since Noteboom is injured again he sure would not be getting any snaps @ any position since he on the injured reserve.

Oh I didn't realize he was on IR. For some reason I thought he was practicing again. Maybe because I didn't see him on the injury reports due to him being on IR.

 

[fanotodd]

Edwards is clearly the most encouraging OL prospect on the Rams. A whole year alongside Whitworth and he’s likely to be best OL moving forward to 2021. This guy is solid. He’s played quite well since stepping in last year (outside of your normal rookie glitches).

I have to say I thought he looked terrible at LT during his first preseason, but so what? Finding a LG of the future is nothing to sneeze at.

 

[BonifayRam]

Edwards is clearly the most encouraging OL prospect on the Rams. A whole year alongside Whitworth and he’s likely to be the best OL moving forward to 2021. This guy is solid. He’s played quite well since stepping in last year (outside of your normal rookie glitches). I have to say I thought he looked terrible at LT during his first preseason, but so what? Finding an LG of the future is nothing to sneeze at.

Agree with you on David Edwards is a great find as a 2019 -5th rd draft selection. Edwards ended up be a starter for 11 gms in his rookie season & now building up steam on blowing open run paths for our Run Game in his second season.

The same thing can be said about RG Austin Corbett who came here by another 5th rd 2020 selection. Corbett earned a starting post his first season here & now is starting his second season playing good enough in his new right-side post. Rams now have two young talented OG's along with an accommodated 2x NCAA Championship Clemson rookie OL'er Tremayne Anchrum waiting in the wings. The future is bright with the OG cadre.

With the Ram future OG cadre in very good condition, Snead now can turn his Scouts loose to discover & find our future starting LT who will be available for the 2021 NFL Draft.

 

[Merlin]

Edwards is special IMO. He's got Pro Bowls in his future. He is naturally strong and rarely gets moved which in itself is impressive. But he's also smooth and smart in his execution and it's not just one play here and there. The guy is playing extremely well. Here's a good example vs the Giants...

Situation

Pre-snap

At the snap we see zone right movement. Note where Whit is, he has a difficult reach block assignment, so the standard zone approach is that the OG puts his hand in the DL's armpit to assist Whit in getting position, and then to move on to his assignment. We see Edwards with that long arm locking the DL out while Whit gets that first step to gain position.

At the handoff this thing looks just like someone drew it up. Whit has position and Big Ed is getting ready to erase the LB.

73 just erases defenders man. And over and over he and Whit are really settling in nice next to each other. And btw, put this up for Edwards but the line as a whole does a good job here. Blythe gets knocked back (if we had a top Center this would be an elite OL) but he's also drawing the best lineman on that DL and locks him out just enough to where he doesn't make the play.

This line is something. It's the best OL I've seen in many years in horns.

 

[Merlin]

I've been waiting for him to revert to the soft guy in the run game that he was in Cleveland and in some of his snaps last season but he's just a different player this season. No OL wins every snap and he certainly doesn't but it's night and day this year for him. He looks like a solid starter to me so far and I hope that continues.

 

[So Ram]

I think team politics (Snead-McVay) pressured Kromer to pick Boomer over Edwards.

weather true or not ? It doesn’t really matter at this point.Noteboom camback strong & got some more experience.
The truth is The Rams have finally built some depth up front. How things playout is anyone’s guess?I do know that Whitworth is going to be a HOF player.How long he plays for is a good question.We all know not much longer.

 

[FarNorth]

I've been waiting for him to revert to the soft guy in the run game that he was in Cleveland and in some of his snaps last season but he's just a different player this season. No OL wins every snap and he certainly doesn't but it's night and day this year for him. He looks like a solid starter to me so far and I hope that continues.

FYI, speaking of Cleveland, their o-line is kicking ass this year under Bill Callahan.

Meanwhile Kromer has expressed astonishment that they let us have Corbett last year without ever giving him a real chance to play. Not even in practice.

 

[Soul Surfer]

I've been waiting for him to revert to the soft guy in the run game that he was in Cleveland and in some of his snaps last season but he's just a different player this season. No OL wins every snap and he certainly doesn't but it's night and day this year for him. He looks like a solid starter to me so far and I hope that continues.

I definitely saw flashes of Corbett's potential last year and that's why I was so high on him starting this year.

If you look at the situation with him coming here, he, much more likely than not, was going to improve.

Last year he missed camp with us and had to switch to a new system on offense.

This year, he knew he was a starter, was getting starter snaps and had the system down much better after playing it last year.

I'm not that surprised.