It's not even training camp, but Rams big-bodied OL has chips on its shoulders

Right guard

From the moment that veteran interior offensive lineman Kevin Dotson lined up as the starting right guard for the Rams' offensive line in Week 4 of the 2023 NFL season, he has laid an unshakable claim to the position. He loves his role in the Rams' depth chart, and the Rams love having him there. And his passion for the game has shone through as he has only missed one game since that glorious first start.

He sat in Week 18 of the 2024 NFL season along with all of the other starters. Veteran Jonah Jackson started at right guard in his absence. But make no mistake, the right guard role is Kevin Dotson's for the foreseeable future. And Dotson has the swag that carries over to the entire offense.

The biggest concern right now facing the Rams is that Dotson has been such a dependable starter that any backup player at the right guard position is inexperienced and an unknown. The Rams likely have undrafted rookie sensation Willie Lampkin in the mix to back up Dotson, and I think that makes a lot of sense. Lampkin is a ferocious competitor along the offensive line, who only fell out of the draft because few NFL general managers believe that an NFL offensive lineman can be shorter than 6-foot-0.

The Rams are believers. Perhaps by season's end, the NFL will be filled with believers too.

Right tackle

Veteran right tackle Rob Havenstein is the default starter for the Rams' offensive line in 2025. But we cannot ignore the fact that the once-dependable starter has seen increasing difficulty in suiting up for the Rams' offensive line. In 2022, Havenstein started all 17 games. But in 2023, he was limited to just 14 games. And in 2024, he was limited to just 11 games. You could make an argument that Havenstein was benched in Week 18, as were all offensive starters. But that deflects from the reality that Havenstein has become more injury-prone in recent years.

But Havenstein had corrective medical procedures to clean up both of his shoulders. While the procedures were described as minor by Havenstein, the need for depth at offensive tackle prompted the team to sign veteran offensive tackle David Quessenberry.

Like Humphries at left tackle, Quessenberry is not on the Rams roster to claim a starting role. He is simply aboard to ensure that should anything happen along the way to Rob Havenstein in training camp to delay his preparation to start in Week 1, the team has an experienced right tackle who can suit up and hold down the fort until he is fully medically cleared to return. One of my concerns from the 2024 season is that the team was so desperate to get Havenstein back on the field in Week 2 that it may have rushed him back into action before he was truly ready.

While you could make an argument for either K.T. Levston or Warren McClendon Jr. to slide in at backup for the right tackle position, I view both players in a swing tackle role. I do believe that undrafted offensive tackle Trey Wedig is going to shock fans with his ability to climb into the conversation quickly as a backup right tackle through training camp.

Okay, that covers the starting five positions. Now, what's left?