4 under-the-radar veterans who could put Rams over the top in 2025

(2) C Coleman Shelton

The saga of how the Rams parted ways with veteran starting center Coleman Shelton is history. He's not the biggest offensive lineman on the team. He's certainly not the most powerful. But Coleman Shelton has a history of getting the offensive line to gel and getting the most out of his teammates when it matters most.

Keep in mind that Shelton was the Rams' starting center when the team went on a four-game winning streak in the postseason that culminated in winning Super Bowl LVI. Shelton stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 285 pounds. In the past three seasons, he has appeared and started in 47 of 51 games. So it's logical to conclude that he is a durable offensive lineman.

Rookie center Beaux Limmer appeared in 16 games last season, starting in 14. Limmer stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 312 pounds. It's that extra body mass, almost entirely composed of muscle, that attracted the Rams to select Limmer in the 2024 NFL Draft. But the team decided to sign veteran IOL Jonah Jackson last season, and cross-train left guard Steve Avila to the center position, which made Shelton expendable.

Avila didn't pan out at center, forcing the team to slide Jackson into the center position.

It was Avila's injury in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season that forced the team to shuffle players once more. Jackson reverted to left guard, and Limmer found himself starting.

Limmer did well enough throughout the regular season, but he struggled to call proper blocking in the playoffs. At one critical point in the game, Philadelphia Eagles DT Jalen Carter was unopposed in his straight-line pass rush against QB Matthew Stafford. Many view those two plays as time wound down as a pivotal moment that resulted in the Rams' loss.

Shelton brings experience under pressure to the Rams' offensive line, and he is quite familiar with the other four starters. It may be that Limmer can win the battle to earn the start in training camp. But it appears that the Rams brought Shelton back to start for the team, and give veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford one more opportunity to hoist another Lombardi Trophy.