5 LA Rams who could be demoted in 2020

Center

Let’s not line up to shake our fingers shamefully at interior offensive lineman Austin Blythe. He’s done everything the LA Rams have asked of him, even to start at the center position, which is not his natural role. To be honest, playing the center position was never really part of the plan for the 2019 season.  But after center, Brian Allen struggled at the role and then fell to a season-ending injury, the Rams had to improvise.  It wasn’t until the Rams made a series of changes, including moving a banged-up Austin Blythe to the center position, that the offensive line began to stabilize.

That duct tape solution was never intended to be a permanent solution. Like a donut spare, it was merely intended to get the Rams safely through to the end of the season, where the coaching staff could catch their breath, digest everything that went wrong, and plan to resolve those challenges for the 2020 season.

Ruiz out, Cabral in

The Rams targeted Michigan center Cesar Ruiz in the 2020 NFL Draft, but the New Orleans Saints selected him with the 24th overall pick.  That may have been a swing and a miss for the Rams, but the plan is still in place.  The Rams intend to upgrade the play at the center position for 2020. Right now, the LA Rams have several options to do so. The Rams signed Coleman Shelton off the Arizona Cardinals practice squad in mid-season of 2019, and he is a savvy powerful young center. The Rams also signed up Arizona State University Cohl Cabral after the 2020 NFL Draft, the only lineman signed after the draft ended.

Before training camp even begins, it’s anyone’s guess. But we’re leaning towards the longshot Cabral for now. The Rams had options to target offensive tackles, offensive guards, and did not do so. The team did add a very versatile offensive lineman, Tremayne Anchrum, with the 250th pick of the draft. And the team has a wiser Brian Allen returning from injured reserve this year.  Austin Blythe’s chances of keeping his starting role in 2020 are shrinking.