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

Offensive center

With a mildly surprising loss of veteran center Austin Blythe via free agency, the Rams are certainly facing serious questions over the anchor of the offensive line. Who will win the starting role? Is the starter even on the roster at the moment? And yet, for all of the twists and turns of the Rams roster moves, there is an underlying sense that it is all part of the plan.  Well, let’s hope so because the Rams need to have a cohesive and quality offensive line intact this year.

Rams Starter – Brian Allen, backup Coleman Shelton

Who is the starter and who is the backup at this juncture? Who knows? But the team certainly must figure it all out before the season begins. After all, the offensive center is one of the most important offensive line positions. So what are the Rams’ options? Well, there is 2019 starter Brian Allen. He is a 6-foot-2 303-pound center whose knee was decimated in the 10th game of the season against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Prior to that, he had allowed just one sack, but he was not up to the challenge of NFL nose tackles.

His backup is Coleman Shelton, who was an outstanding center in college for the Washington Huskies. He stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 285 pounds. He is an athletic offensive lineman, one who has a long history of pulling and blocking at the second and third levels on running plays. The Rams were comfortable enough with the par to release undrafted center Cohl Cabral in 2020. Now we’ll learn if that trust was warranted.

Lions Starter –  Frank Ragnow, backup Joe Dahl

Well, the Detroit Lions rely upon veteran snapper Frank Ragnow to hike the football into the quarterback’s hands.  The 6-foot-5 308-pound Ragnow has been a solid player for the Lions. Through 2020, he did not allow a single quarterback sack. That’s pretty solid stuff. Of course, he was selected with the 20th pick from the 2018 NFL draft, so he is living up to expectations. He did miss two games late in 2020, and that is when the role shifted to his backup, Joe Dahl.

Dahl is 6-foot-4 and 305-pounds and was drafted by the Lions with the 151st pick of the 2016 NFL Draft. Dahl played some spot duty in 2020 and had about as much success as Bobby Evans had in spot duty for the Rams. Still, Ragnow is a solid starter and the Rams are a solid question mark. ADVANTAGE: LIONS

So based on this quick and high-altitude analysis, I think it’s definitely safe to conclude that the skies over SoFi Stadium will be filled with the aerial assault from the throwing arm of newly arrived quarterback Matthew Stafford.