Jonah Jackson at center!

[RamBall]

That's an extremely positive rationalization there Elm.

First off Avila playing center in college is great, but doesn't mean they're gonna be happy with him in the pros there. Last season he was a very good starter for us as a rookie at LG. If that was true thus far at C then the Rams would almost surely have continued the execution of their "plan" to move him over. Because unit cohesiveness is so important with an OL, and because guard is the easiest position to plug someone in on the short term. Also the consistency of calls by that pivot, and the boys being on that same sheet of music with him is crucial. So no matter how you slice this thing to move a guy who has had all camp and preseason at center out to guard a week prior to the opening game is a concern.

I presume Limmer is part of this. But once again the only reason that would be true is because they are not happy with the starting five. And to go a bit further I think this is fundamentally different than say ILB, where a vet got outcompeted for his job. This is where you end up when shit doesn't work well enough and the staff acknowledges it in a last minute effort to try to squeeze more performance out of the unit.

That's not to say the OL will definitely struggle in the opener. As backup OTs go ours are better than most, thanks to Boom. However I expect it's gonna be fuckin ugly. And the Rams staff knows this, which is why they're playing musical chairs at the eleventh hour.

The move was made 2 or 3 weeks ago according to Jourdan. I think it has more to do with Avila being more athletic and able to help out the OT or the C if needed. Also as mentioned above maybe Jacksons injury history has something to do with it and Limmer is a better C than the 3rd OG is at OG.

 

[Merlin]

The move was made 2 or 3 weeks ago according to Jourdan. I think it has more to do with Avila being more athletic and able to help out the OT or the C if needed. Also as mentioned above maybe Jacksons injury history has something to do with it and Limmer is a better C than the 3rd OG is at OG.

I know what the Rams are saying. Just think it's a bit tidy and convenient.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I’ve been seeing Beaux Limmers name thrown around a lot. Did I miss something?

Only that he’s supposedly been very good in camp and looked good in preseason games. It has some people wondering if he could be good enough to start if there is an injury without a drop off of talent.

 

[Loyal]

That's an extremely positive rationalization there Elm.

First off Avila playing center in college is great, but doesn't mean they're gonna be happy with him in the pros there. Last season he was a very good starter for us as a rookie at LG. If that was true thus far at C then the Rams would almost surely have continued the execution of their "plan" to move him over. Because unit cohesiveness is so important with an OL, and because guard is the easiest position to plug someone in on the short term. Also the consistency of calls by that pivot, and the boys being on that same sheet of music with him is crucial. So no matter how you slice this thing to move a guy who has had all camp and preseason at center out to guard a week prior to the opening game is a concern.

I presume Limmer is part of this. But once again the only reason that would be true is because they are not happy with the starting five. And to go a bit further I think this is fundamentally different than say ILB, where a vet got outcompeted for his job. This is where you end up when shit doesn't work well enough and the staff acknowledges it in a last minute effort to try to squeeze more performance out of the unit.

That's not to say the OL will definitely struggle in the opener. As backup OTs go ours are better than most, thanks to Boom. However I expect it's gonna be fuckin ugly. And the Rams staff knows this, which is why they're playing musical chairs at the eleventh hour.

Oline doubter!

Seriously though, I don't remember hearing any concerns about Avila at Center. I think switching him back to LG is more of comfort issue for McVay in helping Noteboom for a couple of games. Avila is a wide body/mountain that can MOVE to shore up Boom's deficiencies, IMO.

 

[VegasRam]

I think I've found something we can all agree on...
View attachment 67304
Cheers.

BTW - it was difficult taking this pic.
Usually have to hold it with two hands…

 

[fanotodd]

This means Avila has not exactly wowed them in his calls. If he had, it would not be considered.

Also could mean they expect Limmer to "arrive" soon so why not pre-move the boys to accommodate that.

^^the last part. This move could be more about Jackson and Limmer than it is about Avila.

Maybe the Rams are now seeing a possible availability issue with Jackson that could open the door for Limmer to get onto the field.
Why keep moving Avila back and forth between Center and LG, depending on whether or not Jackson is playing, when you can just have Avila and Jackson switch? Anytime Jackson can’t play, insert Limmer. Avila stays put at LG.

Jackson could end up being Noteboom 2.0 in that he ends up being an interior swing guy while making starter $$.

 

[Merlin]

Seriously though, I don't remember hearing any concerns about Avila at Center. I think switching him back to LG is more of comfort issue for McVay in helping Noteboom for a couple of games. Avila is a wide body/mountain that can MOVE to shore up Boom's deficiencies, IMO.

IF this is all about "helping Boom" then by week 3 vs SF's front Avila should be back at Center, barring of course our FA signing Jackson stubbing his toe running on the field or something. So let's wait and see how things play out. But I suspect the Avila move to Center may be over.

And again that doesn't mean that Avila was terrible at Center. It just means he wasn't as good there as he is at LG. Which means the move is a failure in its execution if things go down that way. And from there, sure, maybe Jackson saves them face by settling in at Center. But they paid Jackson to get his ass on the move from that Guard spot.

It's early still and I don't want to get into saying Jackson is a busted signing and all that shit. But this is an early setback of their big plan, which was capped by the FA signing of the LG. Doesn't mean it isn't all gonna work. I just am not interested in rationalizing it and buying their BS about them trying to help Boom out or whatever the fuck they're selling Jourdan.

 

[Kupped]

IF this is all about "helping Boom" then by week 3 vs SF's front Avila should be back at Center, barring of course our FA signing Jackson stubbing his toe running on the field or something. So let's wait and see how things play out. But I suspect the Avila move to Center may be over.

And again that doesn't mean that Avila was terrible at Center. It just means he wasn't as good there as he is at LG. Which means the move is a failure in its execution if things go down that way. And from there, sure, maybe Jackson saves them face by settling in at Center. But they paid Jackson to get his ass on the move from that Guard spot.

It's early still and I don't want to get into saying Jackson is a busted signing and all that shit. But this is an early setback of their big plan, which was capped by the FA signing of the LG. Doesn't mean it isn't all gonna work. I just am not interested in rationalizing it and buying their BS about them trying to help Boom out or whatever the fuck they're selling Jourdan.

I haven't read all the posts in this thread, so I hope I'm not being repetitive.

I agree that it's a little disconcerting that their big plan is shifting so quickly. Suboptimal.
I do wonder if the driving force may be Jackson's health and concerns they have about it and the downstream impacts of him missing time.
Enter Beaux Limmer.
Maybe the driving force of the move is that they believe if Jackson goes down, the smoothest transfer is to have Limmer back him up at center.. and that would result in only one position being impacted and Avila can just focus on being the best left guard possible.

 

[Loyal]

IF this is all about "helping Boom" then by week 3 vs SF's front Avila should be back at Center, barring of course our FA signing Jackson stubbing his toe running on the field or something. So let's wait and see how things play out. But I suspect the Avila move to Center may be over.

And again that doesn't mean that Avila was terrible at Center. It just means he wasn't as good there as he is at LG. Which means the move is a failure in its execution if things go down that way. And from there, sure, maybe Jackson saves them face by settling in at Center. But they paid Jackson to get his ass on the move from that Guard spot.

It's early still and I don't want to get into saying Jackson is a busted signing and all that shit. But this is an early setback of their big plan, which was capped by the FA signing of the LG. Doesn't mean it isn't all gonna work. I just am not interested in rationalizing it and buying their BS about them trying to help Boom out or whatever the fuck they're selling Jourdan.

Helping Boom out isn't "BS." There is a reason(s) why he could never hold onto the LT spot in the first place

 

[den-the-coach]

Helping Boom out isn't "BS." There is a reason(s) why he could never hold onto the LT spot in the first place

Have to agree here, Boom has been up & down at LT. I remember the opening game against the Bills in 2022, where he was not very good, but other games he was much better. Hopefully we get the good Boom, but having Avila at LG, if Jackson can hold down the Center position would be a plus IMHO.

I will still be shocked if this goes down, but no more shocked when one year they tried Havenstein at RG and I knew, he was a Tackle.

 

[kurtfaulk]

I remember the opening game against the Bills in 2022, where he was not very good,

Have you watched games by other tackles when they were facing Von miller on a mission?

I think a lot of people here hate noteboom because of that one game.

.

 

[Kupped]

Helping Boom out isn't "BS." There is a reason(s) why he could never hold onto the LT spot in the first place

But the whole concept suggests Avila is better at left guard than Jackson. Or that Jackson is a better Center than Avila.
If one position is weak.. you help with scheme.. you shouldn’t be shuffling guys around in the other spots.

Boom may need help.. but… um.. Jackson has more experience at guard and a clearer track record than Avila… so that doesn’t make sense.

 

[majrleaged]

They aren't going to tell her they weren't impressed with Avila at center. So she has no reason to think that would be the case. But if they were impressed with Avila at center I believe he would still be there.

Btw I doubt Avila has been terrible at center. But they probably expected plus starter performance there. So then they say well why not move him back to where he can be a pro bowl player perhaps instead of a mediocre center.

And maybe none of that is true. Maybe she is correct. But I prefer to think for myself even if I end up wrong, which I often do.

Of course you aren't implying that those of us who believe what she is saying are sheep blindly believing what we are told. That we didn't deduce from her past performance and from the fact that her report states a plausible explanation. That we didn't see many plays last year of Avila doing a very nice job of helping AJ out.

 

[Neil039]

Oline doubter!

Seriously though, I don't remember hearing any concerns about Avila at Center. I think switching him back to LG is more of comfort issue for McVay in helping Noteboom for a couple of games. Avila is a wide body/mountain that can MOVE to shore up Boom's deficiencies, IMO.

 

[WestCoastRam]

I know what the Rams are saying. Just think it's a bit tidy and convenient.

Sometimes the truth is tidy and convenient!

 

[fanotodd]

If Jackson has an injury plagued year, they can move on from him as early as next year with a post June 1st release that saves them $9M in cap. It's 3M saved if released pre June. Of course they still take a dead cap hit, but a smaller cap number as opposed to if he stays.

Sounds like the Rams FO had a fail safe built in.
I was never ecstatic over the Jackson signing, but he’s here. I want him to knock people around.

 

[Merlin]

Sometimes the truth is tidy and convenient!

 

[Merlin]

Of course you aren't implying that those of us who believe what she is saying are sheep blindly believing what we are told. That we didn't deduce from her past performance and from the fact that her report states a plausible explanation. That we didn't see many plays last year of Avila doing a very nice job of helping AJ out.

Lighten up Francis, we're just talkin ball here. Jourdan is good at what she does, so if you want to let her do your thinking with your chosen team I have no problem with that. Personally though if that was my plan I wouldn't be here citing her takes on everything, instead I'd be reloading her X page over and over hoping for insight in my bubble wrap suit. Which sounds decidedly un-fun, thus I avoid all that as best I can.

But in all seriousness the "helping Boom out" thing should be something Jackson is capable of. We just did, after all, sign him to a nice contract in FA. He is extremely mobile and at this moment in time possibly a better OL at guard than Avila is, if you were to use 2023 film to make that determination. So to me there are logical inconsistencies afoot which sets my spidey senses off as it were.

Hopefully the Rams OL looks great in the opener in large part due to them optimizing who is where, and nasty old Merlin crawls back to his old man cave thereafter with you feeling superior about how right Jourdan was. I won't fault you for that either because we're football bros. But I might mock you for it.

 

[Kupped]

Lighten up Francis, we're just talkin ball here. Jourdan is good at what she does, so if you want to let her do your thinking with your chosen team I have no problem with that. Personally though if that was my plan I wouldn't be here citing her takes on everything, instead I'd be reloading her X page over and over hoping for insight in my bubble wrap suit. Which sounds decidedly un-fun, thus I avoid all that as best I can.

But in all seriousness the "helping Boom out" thing should be something Jackson is capable of. We just did, after all, sign him to a nice contract in FA. He is extremely mobile and at this moment in time possibly a better OL at guard than Avila is, if you were to use 2023 film to make that determination. So to me there are logical inconsistencies afoot which sets my spidey senses off as it were.

Hopefully the Rams OL looks great in the opener in large part due to them optimizing who is where, and nasty old Merlin crawls back to his old man cave thereafter with you feeling superior about how right Jourdan was. I won't fault you for that either because we're football bros. But I might mock you for it.

Problem here?

Jourdan never said they were moving anyone to help Noteboom, per se from what I’ve read.

I hadn’t read the tweets closely, previously.

She’s writing about the best configuration of the line. Period.

Sooooooo….

 

[RamBall]

I dont let it get to me too much anymore. I used to second guess almost every move the Rams made. Then Stan hired McVay, and second guessing just made me wrong more often than not. Now I trust McVay knows better than me.