Can LA Rams QB Matthew Stafford throw deep behind as-is OL?

From the moment that the LA Rams have acquired former Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford in a trade that involved surrendering QB Jared Goff, their first of two awarded compensatory third-round picks in 2021, and the Rams first-round pick in 2022 and 2023, the Rams have placed more pressure on the offensive line to create and hold the pocket. Wait, you already knew that, didn’t you? Well, let’s turn our focus to something you may not know. Who will be guaranteeing that Stafford has a pristine pocket?

Hmm.. now about that. Let’s talk about the depth of each offensive line position. Nothing too deep, just a general overview. For starters, we know that the LA Rams prefer to have a deep roster at the position for training camp. Of the 90 man roster, expect at least 15 players for the offensive line. That suggests that the Rams could be looking at four additions from either late in free agency, the 2021 NFL Draft, or depth players signed after the draft.

Per  Pro Football Focus, the LA Rams offensive line in 2020 was ranked third, while the Detroit Lions offensive line was ranked 13th in the NFL. But the LA Rams now boast quarterback, Matthew Stafford. And like it or not, overall offensive line rankings for an NFL team are influenced by a myriad of factors like rushing, quarterback sacks, penalties, and more.

Let’s not try to get too wrapped up in the spaghetti details. What we simply want to know is whether the Rams offensive line can give Matthew Stafford enough time to throw the ball in general, and especially the deep ball that head coach Sean McVay is counting on to electrify his offense this year.