5 NFL FA centers for the LA Rams to keep an eye on

Option I

So the first place to start is the least expensive option. Let’s call this the sub-compact category because we’ve all rented a car at the airport, right? That turns the LA Rams towards a rather familiar adversary, former Arizona Cardinals offensive center A.Q. Shipley. He was a 2020 free agent who eventually signed on with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season.

The 6-foot-1 307-pound offensive center is nearly Andrew Whitworth’s age but perhaps is not as spry as the Rams left offensive tackle. Still, he is a solid veteran who has been to the Super Bowl just last year, so there’s that.

He won’t knock down three defenders on any given play, and he likely won’t be the top offensive lineman at the end of the season. But he’s savvy and experienced and can read the defense. He recognizes what blitz packages he will face, and that alone will give the Rams offense a chance of success on any given play.

He’s good for spot starts. He can be counted on to put up a reputable month of September. No, he is not a bona fide 2021 starter. But the Rams can sign him up, throw him into the mix, and be more confident in the quality of play at the offensive center regardless of who they draft for the position.