Rams’ offensive line problem isn’t as bad as it looks

[LARAMSinFeb.]

Im not buying into it being as big a personnel issue as others make it out to be. Stale scheme and injuries. That's my take.

Might've been all 3. LG went from strength to weakness in the run/drive sustaining area--which is 1/5 of our line. There was a drop off all the way across the line considering a combination of personnel, age, inexperience, and injuries.

I think we really need Hav to have a healthy entire season.

 

[So Ram]

Wonder is Bobby Evans can be a LT option, or is he strictly a RT guy?... Thoughts?

That is a good question.

My whole thing about POUNDING my KEYS is because of the depth The Rams have on the Offensive Line.

The minute The Rams give up on this players is when it was a wasted draft pick & coaching experience.

Like I’ve been asking about where would Evans,Edwards,& Brewer have been drafted in 2020. NFL Starting experience is priceless.(in Rams case expensive). Noteboom & Allen has less experience than those 3 ??

My view on Evans is LT might be a tall order to ask, because he is a swing guy. The question now becomes is who would be The BEST 5(Big 5)??

 

[So Ram]

I don't think Evans can play LT, but I sure think he can play RT. I will give Havenstein the edge and would love to see Evans at RG over Edwards, but one step at a time. I need to see more of him at RT.

Dude , I’ve brought that same question up a long time ago.
It’s a fair question.

I think those 3 should be swingers on the Right side with Blythe being in the mix as well ?? First off Brian Allen is a question mark as well ??

I don’t have the answers to the puzzle, but I love the depth.

Brewer might have to be mentored (Whitworth)on the Left side!! Who is Corbett’s backup??

Noteboom future is the BIGGEST question ???

 

[So Ram]

You could also add in the super bowl hang over. I think the team, players and coaches, were wore out, physicly and mentaly. The success they had also fooled them into thinking they could plug and play. Plus i think it is human nature to relax a little and loose focus. Having a disappointing season has refocused them and that by itself will contribute to better prep and better play.

Lossing your OC 2 years basically 3 years in a row. Olsen played a big part of Jared Goff’s growth.

 

[BonifayRam]

I don't think Evans can play LT, but I sure think he can play RT. I will give Havenstein the edge and would love to see Evans at RG over Edwards, but one step at a time. I need to see more of him at RT.

If Havenstein is back in shape & ready to play like its 2018 again then what Kromer needs from Bobby Evans this season is for him to be the Rams reserve swing OT until Noteboom is back to 100%. Evans held that particular roster spot alone last season after Noteboom went down wk#6 until Havenstein knee pain took him out.

Once Hav was done then Brewer took over as the swing OT reserve. Evans should be more than ready in his 2nd season to be our early swing OT. If for some reason he does not then the only other possible prospect is Chandler Brewer.

Currently, the Rams do not need Evans to be involved in the reserve swing OG competition @ this time. I just do not visualize Evans as a starting OG for Kromer this season.

 

[den-the-coach]

Currently, the Rams do not need Evans to be involved in the reserve swing OG competition. I just do not visualize Evans as a starting OG for Kromer.

I think you're right about that, Evans did play both RT & LT at a major power in Oklahoma and he did showcase the ability to play RT. I'd be concerned a bit at LT because of his feet, but what I do like about him is his ability to move the pile in the run game, that is why my thought of him at Guard, but I concur with your assessment.

 

[BonifayRam]

I think you're right about that, Evans did play both RT & LT at a major power in Oklahoma and he did showcase the ability to play RT. I'd be concerned a bit at LT because of his feet, but what I do like about him is his ability to move the pile in the run game, that is why my thought of him at Guard, but I concur with your assessment.

Its still very early in Evans career so there is sure to be some options in his near future to put him in his place as to where he will be the most effective. At this point in time the OL post he started 7 gms in 2019 in appears to be his best that would be RT.

Issue for Evans is Havenstein who has been a five yr starter for the Rams @ RT has had 4 out of 5 very good season performances. Secondly, Hav signed a second cap friendly contract with 3 yrs still remaining. Fact is the cap hit for Hav as our starting RT is only $6 mil. So there is no real desire to rush Hav out of LA just to insert Evans.

Thus, Evans is going to have to show some versatility once gain in TC. Working most likely @ 3 OL posts LT, RT & LG. Those 35 inch arms on a 6-4 1/2 ft frame woulds make him a better fit @ LG than RG. Helping him keep those 3 tech DT's away from him.

But if Hav comes into TC out of shape & showing signs of tenderness in his knee then Evans might very well have found a long term home @ starting RT.

If that knee of Hav does morph into a chronic issue & needs to rest it @ times in the season then Evans is sure to get a lot of snaps with the 2020 offense that would provide him the time he needs to work on his needs to improve. Then there's Noteboom when healthy can also provide Hav the needed rest. Anyway you look @ it the Rams are in very good condition @ OT when you look at it as a whole..... Whitworth, Havenstein, Noteboom, Evans & Brewer provides this team a solid unit.

 

[Malibu]

Why does it have to be one or the other Mojo.

A. is correct, and we could see the lack of faith in the OL in the moving pockets McVay had to use even late in the season. The 2nd whiner game I lost count of the boots we ran. More appropriate would be counting the number of dropbacks that weren't quick passing plays and it would be a very small number. For a good reason.

B. is correct as well. Queue up the Dallas game. They were all over our route combinations. Teams basically sat on our routes last year and there weren't a lot of guys open. Some of that was helped by poor receiver play (Cooks was crappy after the concussion) but most was certainly due to poor OC production under McVay which he rectified this offseason.

You know why they sat on our route combinations, it was because we only had 2 or 3 out in the pattern the rest TE and RB were in blocking because the IL SUCKS!

This year we have a bunch of back ups as starters. The team never invests in OL like NO does. They could let Watford a top tuerIOK go because he cost a ton and they drafted Eric Mc Coy last year in the 2nd Rd and Ruiz this year in the first Rd. Havenstein is the only 2bd Rd linemen we drafted. We traded for White technically a second rounder.

I am just curious an OL that was that bad last year where do you see how they are going to grow maybe 20th high side 27 low side that still sucks. I would let Allen go, Shelton is a undersized camp body. Evans needed a ton of help last year, same with Edwards. Blythe us marginal most ranked in the low 50s on PFF which made them mostly bottom 10% of their position in the league outside of Whit literally everyone else sucked.

Not trying to be a downer, but if past history told us something we would have invested in at least one FA talent that would have solidified the interior somewhere. I know we need other things on Defense, but I would have sacrified one FA for a massive upgrade on the line.

If we can't score we are going nowhere. We list 8ppg last year. We had no run game and we had to keep extra people into block so Gofc wouldn't get killed which killed 11 personnel which is predicated on putting a lot of receivers in the pattern making it very hard to cover them all, but because the line sucked we couldn't have 5 out in the pattern.

Hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Merlin]

You know why they sat on our route combinations, it was because we only had 2 or 3 out in the pattern the rest TE and RB were in blocking because the IL SUCKS!

You're preaching to the choir tbh. I'm very concerned about the OL.

But there were some serious issues with the Rams' gameplanning in 2019. And I think McVay hired an OC this offseason for that reason.