Can the LA Rams count on veteran LT Andrew Whitworth beyond 2020?

How deep is the depth chart?

No reinforcements are a sign of contentment. Can the LA Rams be content with their roster depth in terms of who is taking over at one of the most demanding positions of the roster? We did examine the roster (we do that sort of thing) a month ago in an effort to sort out how the LA Rams offensive line depth would appear when entering the 2020 NFL Season.  For the left tackle position, we ended up with the following depth chart: Starting left tackle – Andrew Whitworth, Primary backup left tackle – Joseph Noteboom (pending recovery) Secondary backup left tackle – Chandler Brewer.

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Joseph Noteboom is a 6-foot-5 321-pound offensive lineman out of Texas Christian University. He was the 89th player selected in the 2018 NFL Draft, and the third-rounder was the team’s starting left guard in 2019. Noteboom struggled mightily in that role, earning just a 39.7 grade from Pro Football Focus before his season-ending ACL injury. His teammate Brewer was an undrafted addition to the team in 2019. The 6-foot-6 320-pound second-year player from Middle Tennessee hung onto the Rams on the practice squad for the majority of the year. He played a total of 48 plays in  2019, 17 on offense, and 31 snaps on special teams. Surprisingly, he earned a 68.2 grade from PFF.

Ready, set, don’t go?

While both have the right size to be considered for the role, just how ready are either to take over for the long haul as a starter at left tackle? If the Rams had to make the call today, it would not end well. While Noteboom has far more extensive experience and had much higher regard from football analysts in 2018, his first NFL experience was unpleasant at best. He struggled at the left guard and his knee was horribly damaged. As he rehabs, will he shake off his first year and grow from it?  Or was that just the first chapter of a disappointing NFL career? Meanwhile, how will Brewer handle the pressure? Will he fare any better at protecting the blind side of QB Jared Goff?

The LA Rams continue to gamble.  Right now, they are gambling that 38-year-old Andrew Whitworth has at least one season left in him, and would appreciate a solid two more years out of him.  That places Whitworth at the 40-year mark, an unheard-of age for an offensive lineman.  Will the Rams gamble pay off? It certainly seemed that their luck was virtually all bad in 2019. Perhaps the Rams can count on a bit of good luck in 2020? At least the Rams can count on Andrew Whitworth. But, for how long?