Andrew Donnal played LT and had not played that position since High School. Rams did nothing in the 2nd half of that game and it was the best game Goff played, every other game he was in was a disaster IMHO.
Yes it was a strange oddity of many different sorts somethings just can not be explained. If I can recall from my wore down one working brain cell you have been much more positive than most other members or best to say more knowledgeable than most including myself on AD from the moment of his selection in the 4th round. AD's rookie & then injured knee over the last half of his rookie season. AD had two starts his rookie season one @ LG & then RT when he injured his knee & just slowly faded away never seen again. AD rookie season did have a few small positives where AD demonstrated he could play RG/LG & RT post. Bottom line none of his rookie season play was ....good. AD had no base & was weak in both run & pass protection.
I recall very early last season where most members expected AD would be a very early cut. Would seem that Darrell Williams & Isaiah Battles would in the reserve OT's. Garrett Reynolds was expected to win the starting LG post due to his outstanding work with GRob on the left side. Saffold was expected to kick Cody Wichmann to the curb @ RG & Havenstein was on his way to an all pro RT spot in the pro bowl. Barnes was going to be cut for Kush & Rhaney @ center. Youngsters Brown & Wichmann were reserves. Andrew Donnal was packing & had a ticket out of LA. Things sure went differently.
Injuries to Havenstein, Battle, Williams & Reynolds cleared the way for AD to make the final 2016 roster. I was surprised that Boudreau flipped our #1 starting RT in OTA's, Training Camp & all of pre season Rodger Saffold back to starting LG when the season began & inserted a badly injured Rob Havenstein in as starting RT....but now in hindsight its clear NOW to me, the reason Boudreau did this was due to the vast improvement in OL Andrew Donnal. If RH went out AD was fully capable of being an effective RT & Saffold was not needed @ RT any longer. Why then place back up RT Garrett Reynolds on IR then less than a week later release RT Garrett Reynolds ? Clear now Boudreau had a OL'er named AD instead. Of all the Rams 11 OL'ers can you name the two who played in all 16 games in 2016? Tim Barnes & Andrew Donnal!:bow:
To go back wk 12 when AD took over the starting LT post for Saffold/GRob. Another thing that occurred while starting @ LT that's not really know is AD injured his hip...pretty bad. (Keep this in the back of your mind) What happen the following week... Saffold broke his hand & had surgery & was out. The injury forced the Rams to insert GRob reluctantly back into the starting LT post. RG Jamon Brown who also had a injured broken hand was filling in @ LG post for Saffold who was out. RT Havenstein was gimpy & gradually getting worse & limping badly. RG Cody Wichmann's high ankle sprain that was injured back in wk 5 was affecting his play in a bad way. Thus leaving AD as the only reserve OL'er & he also came out on the injury list. All that going into wk 13 game against the SB champions NE Pats.
The 2016 OL drama continued right through to the last game. By the end of wk 16's game starting RT Rob Havenstein was unable to lineup & done for the season with still one game left. Starting RG Cody Wichmann had been done since the end of the game of wk 13. Starting LG Saffold broke his hand in the 2nd quarter wk 12 & has surgery & was having issues to continue to replace GRob @ LT. GRob had been a healthy benched again in the past wk 16 was the only healthy OL still standing besides OT Pace Murphy & OG David Arkin thus interim HC was
forced to insert his problematic LT back into the lineup. The broke handed Jamon Brown started @ RG for AD who was starting @ RT for the injured Havenstein. The drama continued late into the game when LG Saffold was concussed & AD was flipped from RT to LG for Saffold & rookie Pace Murphy finished the game @ RT.
It was good that Andrew Donnal's time finally came & he went into wk 13 as the main reserve for four OL positions. Early in the game Cody Wichmann damaged ankle finally gave way & the injured hip'd AD was now inserted into the starting RG post. Cody was never healthy the rest of the season. AD finished the last five games in the 2016 season as a starter. AD finished 4 games @ RG & wk 17 he started for Havenstein @ RT.The 6-6/320 pound AD has the size that Kromer desires in his OL'ers. AD is a very smart technician who knows what to do & is very consistent in doing it. His past main problems have come from a lack of overall strength & power & lack of pop
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/donnal-736715-left-tackle.html
http://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/...offensive-tackle-nfl-draft-2015-st-louis-rams
http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2015/5...g-andrew-donnal-scouting-report-st-louis-rams
