10 underrated moves the LA Rams made in 2023 offseason

VII - Hired OL Coach Ryan Wendell

The LA Rams faced a lot of adversity in 2022 with repeated and incessant injuries to the offensive linemen. But as the injuries unfolded, there were plenty of decisions over who to start and who not to start that seemed to amplify the problem. What do I mean? Well as the team's roster was depleted with injuries, the Rams front office sprang into action and signed IOL Oday Aboushi, IOL Matt Skura, and OT Ty Nsekhe to the roster. But even after both OL Jeremiah Kolone and OL Bobby Evans failed to perform as starters, the Rams continued to start both players with horrific results.

The Rams strategy of 'making do,' in terms of the offensive line struggled because, without an offensive line coach like Aaron Kromer on staff to optimize their skills, raw offensive linemen remained raw. But that should all change with new OL Coach Ryan Wendell, who was Aaron Kromer's assistant OL Coach with the Buffalo Bills.

Whether Wendell or not, the LA Rams have invested quite a bit into their offensive line this season, drafting two players who could both be starters in the next three year. Can Wendell help his offensive linemen optimize their performance? I think that he already is well on his way to doing so.

VI- Signed DB Ahkello Witherspoon

I won't hide the fact that I believed that the LA Rams may have missed an opportunity to reinforce the secondary during the 2023 NFL Draft, Yes, the Rams did draft DB Tre Tomlinson and DB Jason Taylor II, but with 14 draft picks in the Rams arsenal, picks in Round 6 and Round 7 seem a bit late to the party. Of course, the Rams did invest heavily into their defensive backs in 2022, and the hope is that they will develop dramatically in their second NFL season. But the team signed veteran defensive back Ahkello Witherspoon, a move that I believe is very underrated.

An NFL secondary is more than just a group of defensive players putting up great individual performances. Defensive backs, much like offensive linemen, perform based upon their ability to communicate and anticipate what their teammates can and will do on any given play. That's a lot to absorb for young defensive backs. But that should not pose much of a problem for Ahkello Witherspoon, a veteran of six previous NFL seasons.

Witherspoon stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 195 pounds, giving the Rams a big-bodied option in pass coverage. And 40 starts in 60 games played allows the Rams coaching staff to rely upon him to start for the team until younger defensive backs can earn defensive snaps and perhaps challenge him for the starting role.