Why the LA Rams didn’t draft an offensive center this year?

The LA Rams were expected to draft an offensive center in the 2021 NFL Draft, only they didn’t. This is keeping pretty much in the tradition of the 2020 NFL Draft where the offensive line was expected to be a major target in last year’s draft as well. Instead? The LA Rams added offensive tackle Tremayne Anchrum late in the draft and lost offensive tackle Chandler Brewer as he opted out for the season.

So for anyone who’s keeping track over the past two seasons, the LA Rams have added one offensive lineman and lost one to free agency. Even-Steven.

That will all change in 2022 when the LA Rams are projected to lose five offensive linemen to free agency: offensive tackle Joseph Noteboom, offensive guard Austin Corbett (starter), offensive center Coleman Shelton, offensive center Brian Allen, and offensive lineman Chandler Brewer.  Now, just to be accurate, the LA Rams did sign Iowa offensive tackle Alaric Jackson and interior offensive lineman Jordan Meredith.  Of course, the LA Rams picked up an undrafted center in 2020 in Arizona State’s Cohl Cabral.

So many players are about to fly out the door. What gives?

They don’t know what they don’t know

Well, the painful truth is that the LA Rams are not exactly certain about what they have on the roster. From the moment that the team parted ways with the remarkable offensive line coach Aaron Kromer, new offensive line coach Keven Carberry has been watching videos of practices and talking to other coaches. That’s hardly a strong foundation to lobby for new talent.

Since the 2019 season ended, the LA Rams have not truly had a normal training camp of Organized Team Activities to evaluate the talent potential of players on the roster. So there was almost no chance for the team to fully assess who they have in Coleman Shelton, how far Brian Allen has healed, or even if Austin Corbett can shift successfully to an offensive center position.

Until the new offensive line coach understands who he has on the roster, the LA Rams pretty much placed a hold on drafting any new players apparently. The clue was in how both GM Les Snead and HC Sean McVay discussed adding players via the draft, and how neither felt it was an option to start a rookie on the offensive line in 2021.

Rookies just won’t do the trick

That predicated two strategies: First, it dictated that the Rams would be calling upon a veteran on the roster to fill the vacancy. Secondly, it opens the door to developing undrafted offensive linemen for future roles with the team. The LA Rams have added Italian OL Maximilian Pircher, Iowa OL Alaric Jackson, and Western Kentucky IOL Jordan Meredith.

It’s far easier to slip UDFA’s to the practice squad than drafted players, as the Rams have discovered the hard way with past attempts to re-sign a drafted inside linebacker after roster cuts.

Of course, a simpler answer is that Rams head coach Sean McVay calls the shots, and he wanted new toys to play with this year on offense. That could explain why the LA Rams have more receivers on the roster than offensive linemen. But it could be a predicament in the making.

The LA Rams have 14 offensive linemen on the roster, project to lose five in 2022:
Austin Corbett, Brian Allen, Chandler Brewer, Coleman Shelton, and Joseph Noteboom are all in their contract years. Three of the current offensive linemen are undrafted free-agent rookies. That’s a total of eight of the original 14 offensive linemen who may not be ready to compete in 2022. And of the remaining six, there stands Andrew Whitworth, still getting older.

Perhaps it’s too soon to sound the alarms. But I’m fairly certain that trying to address the offensive line in the 2022 NFL Draft may be a tad too late.