4 players who may be aging less-than-gracefully on LA Rams roster

IV: A swing tackle with less swing

The LA Rams believed that offensive tackle Joe Noteboom was the correct successor to veteran offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth, particularly after Whitworth retired after the 2021 NFL season. But as has proven to be the case with a number of seasoned veterans, health is a factor, and the ability to remain injury-free is a rare quality among Rams players over the past two seasons.

Don't get me wrong here. Tasking any offensive lineman to slide in and substitute start at both the right guard, right tackle, and left tackle positions is itself a Herculean feat and one that I don't gloss over. But the Rams have made it a point to task Joe Noteboom in that role since 2020, and he performed admirably.

Noteboom not aging well

Even in 2022, a year of forgettable and dismally disjointed offensive linemen's performances, Noteboom's significant setback was simply his inability to remain healthy. Per Pro Football Focus, in 2022 Noteboom suited up for 325 offensive snaps, was flagged three times, and allowed five quarterback sacks. The worst game that season was the season opener against the Buffalo Bills.

Fast forward to 2023, and Noteboom has allowed two quarterback sacks and committed one penalty in 372 offensive snaps. The drop off has been noticed by PFF, which dropped Noteboom from a 67.0 grade in 2022 to an alarming 40.3 grade in 2023.

The challenge for the LA Rams is that the team needs the guy who was essentially a plug and play blocker from 2020. He no longer has the mastery of suiting up and stepping in to patch up a hole in the LA Rams starting offensive line. I don't think that Noteboom is a hopeless cause. I simply believe that a change of address with a new opportunity on a new NFL team could make a huge difference in his career.

I don't believe that the Rams will openly have Noteboom on the trade block. But he is the type of player who could bounce back with a blank slate.