LA Rams venerable OT Andrew Whitworth just gets better with age

If you were to guess which of the LA Rams offensive linemen was leading the way once more, would you guess Andrew Whitworth? Of course many would, simply because he has consistently been one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL, not just on the Rams roster. But if you didn’t, that is understandable as well.

After all, how many 40-year-olds can say that they continue to play among the best of the NFL at offensive left tackle? Since arriving at the LA Rams, Whitworth has been a consistently top-rated performer on the team and in the NFL at large.  The funny thing is, he keeps getting better with age, it seems.

That’s incredibly impressive over the past four games, and clearly, he’s hot now. But what about over the course of the season? How is he doing so far this year?

Let’s look at a few interesting facts. Andrew Whitworth is playing in his 16th NFL season. After a solid 11-year career with the Cincinnati Bengals, he signed on with the LA Rams and continued to perform among the best in the NFL.

We are not kidding when we say that he gets better with age. In 2019, Pro Football Focus graded him at a respectable 72.8 for the season. In 2020, his PFF grade jumped up to 88.7 for his nine starts before falling to injury. In 2021, his PFF grade after Week 10 is at 84.5.

Hit me one more time

It was the general consensus that Andrew Whitworth would retire after the 2021 NFL Season. After all, he has made no bones about the fact that he wanted to play in the NFL until the age of 40, and he turns 40 years on December 18, 2021.  So it’s not a given that he will play through his current contract that lasts through the 2022 NFL season.

But the LA Rams should do everything in their power to keep him around. After all, the guy is acutely aware of the team’s strengths and weaknesses, he is an encyclopedia of knowledge, and he is one of the leaders of the team in the locker room.  But all that being said, it still comes down to how well he is playing on the football field, doesn’t it? Well, fear not. He is the best offensive lineman on the roster.

Rams roster bonus

He is playing so well, in fact, that it makes complete sense for the Rams to encourage him to come back for one more season. After all, when you are talking about blind-side offensive linemen, you are talking about the top-shelf of NFL players.

At some point, you would expect that Whitworth’s play would fall off. After all, 16 years of performing at one of the most physically demanding positions in the NFL certainly does take its toll on a player. And he was drafted three years before quarterback Matthew Stafford, so he continues to be the team historian, a player whose career began during the Marc Bulger and Steven Jackson era of the Saint Louis Rams.

Just like a Timex watch, he takes a licking and keeps on ticking. The only question that remains is: For how long?

Rams’ roster rebuild – 2022

The LA Rams will be hard-pressed to refill their roster in 2022 at the same quality as they did for 2021. That is no accident, as the team had directed their free agency and trade negotiations to target players who were in the last year of their contracts. That list of 2021 rentals includes outside linebacker, Von Miller, running back Sony Michel, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., running back Buddy Howell, and outside linebacker Jamir Jones.

While deliberate, it certainly complicates the team’s roster build for 2022 if the front office must sign an NFL offensive left tackle who can start next season. An additional complication is that the Rams heir apparent to the left tackle position, Joseph Noteboom, is himself a projected free agent in 2022.

In fact, the LA Rams offensive line could lose as many as four players if the team is unable to come to terms with Austin Corbett, Brian Allen, Coleman Shelton, and Noteboom. If the team also faces the retirement of Andrew Whitworth, the offensive line could be due for a huge set of changes next year.

Until now, it seemed to be almost a certainty that the 16-year veteran would be ready to retire. But after a season like he is putting up in 2021, I’m not so sure. The team certainly has every incentive to lobby hard for his return. It’s tough enough to find a solid NFL starting offensive lineman, let alone one who is among the best in the league at one of the most difficult positions.

Of course, the team should not turn a blind eye to the spot in the offseason. The Rams can use one more year to ensure that Whitworth’s successor is fully prepared to handle the workload. In the meantime, sit back and enjoy the ride.  Big Whit’s got this, and he is getting better with age.