ICYMI, 5 significant LA Rams FA adds who the team should bring back

Free Agent V: Interior offensive lineman

IOL Matt Skura is playing in his sixth NFL season. Despite his journeyman NFL career, this is a player who has played 75 games over his career and started 71 of those games. So why was he an available free agent? Well, the reasons are many, but it comes down to the limited NFL salary cap and the limited number of roster slots on any NFL team.

Skura has appeared in seven games for the LA Rams this season and started six of those games. Through Week 16, Skura has committed two penalties, allowed three quarterback sacks, and been graded by Pro Football Focus for the 2022 NFL season at 51.1.

Skura = Corbett 2.0?

While that may not impress you, just consider this. In 2019, the LA Rams traded for IOL Austin Corbett, who played 542 offensive snaps for the Rams, allowed one quarterback sack, and committed four penalties. For that performance, Pro Football Focus graded him out at 51.8 for the year.  Notice the similarities?

Skura is a powerful 6-foot-3 305-pound interior offensive lineman. That makes a difference, as the Rams have historically selected offensive tackles in the draft, and then coached them on how to play along the interior. Skura has plenty of know-how at the offensive guard position.

Like Corbett before in 2019, Skura has been challenged this year by the fact that he never had the benefit of training camp or preseason games working alongside his teammates. If the Rams extend him into the 2023 NFL season or beyond, you could safely expect his performance to improve simply from familiarity.