LA Rams OL Jamil Demby’s battle for playing time

Flashes of brilliance coming more frequently

Like most of the LA Rams offensive linemen, the starting experience earned at great cost in 2019 now holds even greater value in 2020. Demby saw his first actual NFL action in 2019, one start and playing time in six games.  That serves as the basis for workouts, virtual training, and working towards improving this season. Learning requires failing at something.  It’s only through adversity, getting something wrong, that we eventually learn to get it right.

Aaron Kromer is a prestigious offensive line coach in the NFL, and his endorsement for Jamil Demby is still valid. The Rams cannot fault the kid with his finger in the dike when there are too many holes to plug. In short, the Rams packed lunch but had to stretch it to cover a week’s worth of meals.  Demby was simply stretched in far too many directions to be effective last year.

What a difference a season makes

While other NFL teams are trying to explain to rookie offensive linemen just what the NFL football experience is all about, the LA Rams have 13 of 15 offensive linemen who know first hand. And while 31 other teams are trying to create virtual scenarios to feature, highlight, and train, the LA Rams offensive linemen are working with last year’s footage, last year’s misfortunes, and this year’s training of how to improve.

There are no guarantees for the LA Rams nor for Jamil Demby. Demby cannot reserve a roster spot or playing time for the season. Nor can the Rams charge Demby for a no-show if he doesn’t deliver well enough to earn a roster spot in 2020.  But I cannot end this article without admitting to cheering a little more loudly for this blue-collar roll-up-the-sleeves players.  Jamil Demby is all about putting in the effort, no matter what is asked of him.  Hopefully, it all pays off in 2020.