LA Rams: PFF projects offensive line to fall to 8th this year

The LA Rams will only go as far as their running game, and the running game will only go as far as their offensive line. No, that’s not some wildly concocted mantra, but has simply been a fair summary of the LA Rams offense so far under head coach Sean McVay. The LA Rams offense faltered in 2019 due in large part to an offensive line that struggled at the point of attack, became riddled with injuries, and finally became content to simply start the same five players in consecutive weeks.

The 2019 unit was bad, very bad. How badly did they play? So badly that many fans expected the Rams offensive line, with 14 returning players and many of them starters, to draft multiple rookies to replace two to three 2019 starters. So badly that the 2019 ranking of the LA Rams fell to 31st in the NFL.

It was such a tumble that the Rams would have been forgiven if they had panicked. Instead, the coaching staff and personnel department agreed on seven important decisions that led to the LA Rams rebounding to vault up to the third-best offensive line in 2020.

All caught up

Okay, that should catch everyone up to speed. The Rams offensive line tumbled in 2019 due to a tsunami of injuries and rebounded in 2020 due to the decision to keep their offensive line intact. Now, with the same getting-the-band-back-together strategy, the team must regroup around the leadership of newly installed offensive line coach Kevin Carberry.

Los Angeles Rams

In the eyes of Pro Football Focus, the LA Rams offensive line will remain respectable and has predicted an eighth-best ranking among NFL offensive lines for 2021. In their assessment of the Rams offensive line, PFF cites the return of former starting center Brian Allen as the eventual replacement for now-Kansas-City-Chiefs center Austin Blythe.

So far, the Rams have focused upon moving right guard Austin Corbett to center, and adding veteran Bobby Evans at right guard. While this new configuration may not move the Rams up or down in the preseason rankings, it is most certainly something to take note of.

Top 10? Not bad…

Of course, the Top-10 designation was subject to a huge caveat:

"“The Rams have the pieces to rank as one of the league’s best offensive lines as long as they stay healthy.” – per Pro Football Focus Steve Palazzolo"

We have to agree, as we have stated virtually the same thing several days before the PFF article.

Of course, there is plenty of time remaining for the Rams to tweak their offensive line. After joint practices and a preseason game or two, the Rams may opt to restore Austin Corbett to the right guard position and trial backup center Coleman Shelton in a starting role. Other options include trialing Brian Allen at the center position. Or the Rams may fix Corbett at the center spot, and opt for another player to slide in at right guard.

Even with the optimistic offensive line ranking, the Rams will need to keep a firm eye on 2022.  You see, next year, five offensive linemen face expiring contracts. Simultaneously, the Rams must prepare for the inevitable retirement of the venerable Andrew Whitworth.  While the Rams did add three offensive linemen after the 2021 NFL Draft, developing those three players is crucial for the 2022 roster.