Rams LT Andrew Whitworth expected to return

[So Ram]

Right, we have a lot of technique guys. If we want the run game to work it would help to add someone who can physically dominate at guard or center. Not sure what the chances are given cap and other needs, but imo that's what we need.

Oh, and we need to stop limiting Gurley in off season training and his practice days if we want him to return to being explosive.

Far fetched !! Gurley needs to rest so he is ready for the season. He was working out to hard. The wear & tear on his knee has been the problem.
Go back to 2018 & he got hurt against the Raiders. Then chilled & went off,by the end of the season was hurt again.
In the offseason he was working out to hard & had to chill from the end of OTA’s
They said he had something like acute arthritis in the knee??? Not really sure about all that either ???
Just know he was finally able to play at the end of the season & was The Rams best option if they beat the 9ers to get into the playoffs. The Rams managed him well.

— Still think your point makes it a reason to trade Todd Gurley.

 

[OldSchool]

Ref. CB Troy Hill's contract......are your figures correct?

Troy Hill

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

www.spotrac.com

That’s likely including playing time bonuses?

 

[So Ram]

20 LA Rams offseason player injury updates for 2020 season
by Bret Stuter
View attachment 33801
Offensive line injuries

Player/ Position/ Injury / Status

Brian Allen- Center-Knee– MCL- May not return for training camp
Rob Havenstein- RT- Knee- Ready for TC
Andrew Whitworth -LT- Ankle -Post surgery, ready for TC
Joseph Noteboom- LG ACL/MCL- May not return for training camp
Austin Blythe RG/OC- Ankle/Shoulderss- May not return for training camp

The 2019 offensive line felt as though it was made of glass at times. The plan to begin the season had the following lineup: Left tackle Andrew Whitworth, Left Guard Joseph Noteboom, Center Brian Allen, Right Guard Austin Blythe, and Right Tackle Rob Havenstein. Despite early struggles, the Rams jumped out to a 3-0 season, and seemed to be cruising for a second appearance in post season.

But the shootout upset loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers began a streak of bad play and bad luck. In a week six loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Rams lost left guard Noteboom to an ACL/MCL injury. By week ten, they had lost center Brian Allen to an MCL injury.

On a positive note, the LA Rams were forced to sign and promote offensive linemen. The team ultimately traded for guard Austin Corbett, who slotted in left guard. The team promoted rookie Bobby Evans for right guard, and promoted rookie David Edwards to right tackle. Austin Blythe healed up enough to take up the center position, and the Rams reinforced the position with center Coleman Shelton.

That experience for Corbett, Evans, and Edwards will carry a long way in the 2020 training camp. Don’t be surprised if all three earn starting line roles for the Rams this season.

To read the complete article click below:
https://ramblinfan.com/2020/02/05/la-rams-offseason-player-injury-updates/2/

if you continue to read, even further back it is have patiences with the youth.That’s my
exact stance. Will see how it plays out. My hands are getting sore banging the drums all the time. - at least I’m seeing that there is believe in the same.

 

[bubbaramfan]

With Noteboom, Allen and Blythe not expected to be ready for TC, I expect to see some new OL faces start of TC. Last TC Kromer had 14 or 15 when TC started.

 

[fearsomefour]

20 LA Rams offseason player injury updates for 2020 season
by Bret Stuter
View attachment 33801
Offensive line injuries

Player/ Position/ Injury / Status

Brian Allen- Center-Knee– MCL- May not return for training camp
Rob Havenstein- RT- Knee- Ready for TC
Andrew Whitworth -LT- Ankle -Post surgery, ready for TC
Joseph Noteboom- LG ACL/MCL- May not return for training camp
Austin Blythe RG/OC- Ankle/Shoulderss- May not return for training camp

The 2019 offensive line felt as though it was made of glass at times. The plan to begin the season had the following lineup: Left tackle Andrew Whitworth, Left Guard Joseph Noteboom, Center Brian Allen, Right Guard Austin Blythe, and Right Tackle Rob Havenstein. Despite early struggles, the Rams jumped out to a 3-0 season, and seemed to be cruising for a second appearance in post season.

But the shootout upset loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers began a streak of bad play and bad luck. In a week six loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Rams lost left guard Noteboom to an ACL/MCL injury. By week ten, they had lost center Brian Allen to an MCL injury.

On a positive note, the LA Rams were forced to sign and promote offensive linemen. The team ultimately traded for guard Austin Corbett, who slotted in left guard. The team promoted rookie Bobby Evans for right guard, and promoted rookie David Edwards to right tackle. Austin Blythe healed up enough to take up the center position, and the Rams reinforced the position with center Coleman Shelton.

That experience for Corbett, Evans, and Edwards will carry a long way in the 2020 training camp. Don’t be surprised if all three earn starting line roles for the Rams this season.

To read the complete article click below:
https://ramblinfan.com/2020/02/05/la-rams-offseason-player-injury-updates/2/

And the hits just keep on coming.

 

[BonifayRam]

And the hits just keep on coming.

The injury register of the Ram 2019 Ol'ers.....just happens to list the complete initial starting Ram OL.

 

[bubbaramfan]

If Allen and Blythe aren't ready to participate at the start of TC, who is the 1st team center? Corbett?, Shelton?

 

[BonifayRam]

If Allen and Blythe aren't ready to participate at the start of TC, who is the 1st team center? Corbett?, Shelton?

I would guestimate the TC first team center would be the 2nd season Coleman Shelton.

Shelton was the 7th Ram OL'er (behind OT/OG Chandler Brewer who was the 6th) over the last half of the season when both Allen & Havenstein were injured & never returned to the field of play. Shelton is also an ERFA currently. I believe the Rams intentions is to offer Shelton contract .....it's a no brainer.

 

[Merlin]

If Allen and Blythe aren't ready to participate at the start of TC, who is the 1st team center? Corbett?, Shelton?

I think it will be someone who is not currently on the roster. Either a FA addition like McGovern or one of multiple center options in the draft.

 

[Ramrocket]

If Allen and Blythe aren't ready to participate at the start of TC, who is the 1st team center? Corbett?, Shelton?

Blythe is a free agent. There's no guarantee he's even on the team for TC.

 

[Riverumbbq]

On a positive note, the LA Rams were forced to sign and promote offensive linemen. The team ultimately traded for guard Austin Corbett, who slotted in left guard. The team promoted rookie Bobby Evans for right guard, and promoted rookie David Edwards to right tackle. Austin Blythe healed up enough to take up the center position, and the Rams reinforced the position with center Coleman Shelton.
That experience for Corbett, Evans, and Edwards will carry a long way in the 2020 training camp. Don’t be surprised if all three earn starting line roles for the Rams this season.

The first paragraph is not only wrong, it's a pretty lazy evaluation by the author imo. The second paragraph does ring true.
Edwards was first promoted to LG following the Noteboom injury, then later moved to RG after the Allen injury. Evans was promoted to RT, not Edwards.

Coleman Shelton is an undrafted Center who bounced around the Tennessee & Cardinals practice squads after being cut by the 49'ers as a UDFA, and was brought in one week before camp ended as the Rams back-up Center. Some of us saw this as more of a desperation move than anything otherwise being interpreted as some great steal. Consider our only other alternatives were Kolone & Demby at the time, and they were among our worst pre-season OL camp performers. Honestly, i'll be surprised if either Shelton or Kolone make the 2020 roster in any role. When you look at all our interior OL injuries and displacement for 2019, and Shelton only receiving 24 offensive snaps, it may send a signal.

The Rams traded for 2018 #33 overall draft pick OC/OG Austin Corbett two days after the Noteboom injury, but local media projected him as eventually taking over for the struggling Brian Allen prior to his own injury. While Corbett was learning the Rams Center play calling, Allen went down with an MCL injury, forcing Blythe to Center and Corbett to LG.

Rams trade 2021 draft pick to Browns for OL Austin Corbett

The Rams have traded a draft pick for offensive lineman Austin Corbett.

theramswire.usatoday.com

The fact that very youthful OL players like Evans, Edwards, Corbett, Allen, Demby and even Brewer to a lesser extent receiving significant snaps and playing time is no doubt very beneficial for evaluation and eventual positional placement, ... these players and their trainers will now be able to work on strength training, better learning the scheme and correcting traits which will only make them better football players. Still, with so many unknowns involved, including whether Whitworth returns, the starting OL is very much up for grabs, especially all 3 of those interior positions, and then with a free agency period and draft right ahead of us, projecting who lands where is a bit of a crap-shoot at this point. If the Rams do indeed see 2020 as a potential return deep into the play-off rounds, then I would suspect more activity in free agency than some are currently anticipating.
I'll expect on or before April 25 that all our questions will be answered. jmo.

 

[FarNorth]

The way most guys dominate is with technique.
They are lining up against guys that are big and strong with techniques of their own. You don’t see most interior lineman that are hugely tall.
Finding an interior lineman that is physically imposing that can move well with good technique.....think Larry Allen (he was listed forever at 325, but played closer to 350 a lot of years) that is what everyone wants.
They are very hard to find.
Starting with good technique, a good scheme fit, good balance and feet.....that’s the way to go.

Not arguing against technique. I appreciate the potential of technically great zone blocking schemes. I wish we still had one.

But it seems to me that power is still a factor, and that our line as a whole is underpowered.

 

[FarNorth]

Far fetched !! Gurley needs to rest so he is ready for the season. He was working out to hard. The wear & tear on his knee has been the problem.
Go back to 2018 & he got hurt against the Raiders. Then chilled & went off,by the end of the season was hurt again.
In the offseason he was working out to hard & had to chill from the end of OTA’s
They said he had something like acute arthritis in the knee??? Not really sure about all that either ???
Just know he was finally able to play at the end of the season & was The Rams best option if they beat the 9ers to get into the playoffs. The Rams managed him well.

— Still think your point makes it a reason to trade Todd Gurley.

I'm not an advocate of trading Gurley, which seems impractical in any event.

The Rams changed Gurley's offseason training in an attempt to protect his knee. They then did the same thing in training camp and the regular season, going to some kind of every other day approach. They then curtailed his actual usage in games until it was too late.

No one from the outside can be sure of what the cause and effect of these factors was, and the o-line obviously was a major issue, but one plausible conclusion is that this kept Gurley from reaching the fine edge of peak training needed to play at his best.

In any event, whatever the causes, the result was that he and the offense as a whole were much less effective than the two prior years.

I would like to see the Rams let Gurley go for it this year. If he hurts his knee or can't hold up, so be it. Better to take that chance than have Gurley again be a reduced and disgruntled version of himself.

 

[So Ram]

I'm not an advocate of trading Gurley, which seems impractical in any event.

The Rams changed Gurley's offseason training in an attempt to protect his knee. They then did the same thing in training camp and the regular season, going to some kind of every other day approach. They then curtailed his actual usage in games until it was too late.

No one from the outside can be sure of what the cause and effect of these factors was, and the o-line obviously was a major issue, but one plausible conclusion is that this kept Gurley from reaching the fine edge of peak training needed to play at his best.

In any event, whatever the causes, the result was that he and the offense as a whole were much less effective than the two prior years.

I would like to see the Rams let Gurley go for it this year. If he hurts his knee or can't hold up, so be it. Better to take that chance than have Gurley again be a reduced and disgruntled version of himself.

Disgruntled ?? Will see how things workout.
The Rams are always looking to improve.
There is nothing 100% in the box, except that Mcvay will take responsibility when he thinks it is the right thing to do.

 

[fearsomefour]

Not arguing against technique. I appreciate the potential of technically great zone blocking schemes. I wish we still had one.

But it seems to me that power is still a factor, and that our line as a whole is underpowered.

But where does “power” come from?
If it was just size OL would be full of sumos. If it was just strength OL would be full of bodybuilders.
I smaller guy with great technique, use and understanding of angles/leverage can survive better (generally speaking) than a big guy with lousy technique.
A guy who gets by or dominates at lower levels with raw size and strength will usually struggle in the NFL.
Every DL they line up against is either a guy who has mastered a tech or two or are freak athletes for their size.

 

[FarNorth]

But where does “power” come from?
If it was just size OL would be full of sumos. If it was just strength OL would be full of bodybuilders.
I smaller guy with great technique, use and understanding of angles/leverage can survive better (generally speaking) than a big guy with lousy technique.
A guy who gets by or dominates at lower levels with raw size and strength will usually struggle in the NFL.
Every DL they line up against is either a guy who has mastered a tech or two or are freak athletes for their size.

I don't disagree, but... at the end of the day last year the line wasn't opening enough holes to really make the running game work. Was it lack of technique, or of strength, or of experience including playing together?

If it was lack of technique and/or experience, maybe bringing back the same guys will get better results if they execute better. But at this point I'm just not convinced that will be enough.

I just tend to think that it is ok to have interior lineman with some real strength/power (as well as technique).

 

[FarNorth]

Disgruntled ?? Will see how things workout.
The Rams are always looking to improve.
There is nothing 100% in the box, except that Mcvay will take responsibility when he thinks it is the right thing to do.

I thought Gurley was pretty ticked off the entire season, presumably about how he was being utilized.

 

[OldSchool]

Looks like he wants to come back and lists the reasons.


View: https://twitter.com/SiriusXMNFL/status/1228756732832251905