LA Rams McVay on OL Oday Aboushi: “Tough, physical competitor.”

If LA Rams head coach Sean McVay is singing your praises just a week after joining the roster, you know you are an impressive addition to the LA Rams roster. But there are more than hollow praises being slung around the LA Rams locker room right now. After all the Rams starting offensive line has been reconfigured three different ways for the first three games.

And when we’re talking about the offensive line, change is never a good thing.

The Rams have been forced to put eight players into action in just the first three games. Some, like offensive guard Tremayne Anchrum, was injured on the first play in Week 2, and could only fight through the pain for one more play. In Week 3, right tackle Rob Havenstein was shaken up, and backup Bobby Evans moved to take over for three offensive snaps.

But the LA Rams depth chart has held together, primarily because the Rams have been proactive at filling the void as they occur. When starting offensive center Brian Allen fell to a knee injury, the Rams promoted backup center Jeremiah Kolone from the practice squad. When backup offensive lineman Tremayne Anchrum was lost to the season, the Rams signed free agent offensive lineman Oday Aboushi.  So who is he?

He is a player who LA Rams head coach Sean McVay is ecstatic to have on the team’s roster. At the 21:00 mark, McVay talks about acquiring free agent offensive lineman Oday Aboushi.

“That’s a big deal to be able to get him.” was McVay’s comment about Aboushi. “Tough, physical competitor,” was his follow-up on the new offensive lineman.

III: He lept over A.J. Arcuri

The LA Rams wasted no time promoting Aboushi from the practice squad. That is particularly noteworthy in light of the fact that he leapfrogged over rookie offensive lineman A.J. Arcuri. Why did the LA Rams promote him so quickly after adding him? He clearly has a great feel for playing on the offensive line at the NFL level, and that matters a great deal at this point in the season for this Rams offense.

II: He’s got starting NFL OL experience

Oday Aboushi has experience playing for the New York Jets, the Houston Texans, the Seattle Seahawks, the Arizona Cardinals, the Detroit Lions, and finally, the LA Chargers. Best of all, he’s had two years, 23 games worth of experience blocking for LA Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. He started for 10 games for Stafford while he played for the Detroit Lions.

I: He is a solid run/pass blocker

Aboushi really came into his own with the Chargers before suffering an ACL tear late in the season. Per Pro Football Focus, he played and started in five games, worth 298 offensive snaps for the LA Chargers last season. During the time, he committed just two penalties and allowed no quarterback sacks.

In terms of the LA Rams depth chart today on the offensive line. with the starters as Joe Noteboom, David Edwards, Coleman Shelton, Alaric Jackson, and Rob Havenstein.  The primary backups right now: Offensive center Jeremiah Kolone, guard Oday Aboushi, and tackle Bobby Evans. If Noteboom falls, I would expect the Rams to shift Alaric Jackson to the left tackle position, and then slide either Bobby Evans or Oday Aboushi in at the right guard position.

The LA Rams are not at 100 percent strength, and that is something that fans may not consider in their harsh critiquing of the wins that do not blow out the competition.

The Rams are 2-1, and have added solid NFL talent to the Rams’ depth chart. Will it be enough for the team to expect Week 4 to end with a win? Stay tuned . . .