5 LA Rams returning players whose encores will astonish the entire NFL

IV: The new center of attention

The LA Rams have placed a great deal of faith into second year Interior offensive lineman Steve Avila. He was the starting left guard in his rookie season, but with the arrival of FA LG Jonah Jackson, the team plans to move Avila to center. And that has made some fans nervous and concerned.

But this is not Avila's first time as center. In fact, it was his versatility to toggle from guard to center and back again that made him the ideal offensive lineman for the team in the 2023 NFL Draft. Avila is ideally suited for the center role, as he remains in constant vigilance over the defensive line configuration, is eager to help his teammates on their blocks, is willing to take the pain downfield and level linebackers and defensive backs downfield.

Most importantly, he has a year of NFL experience under his belt, which gives him a leg up on rookie counterparts who are trying to decipher NFL stunts and blitzes for the first time. Avila has already amassed a database of NFL defenders, and will make full use of that information as he spearheads the Rams offense in 2024.

III: The best is yet to come

The truth is that rookie outside linebacker Byron Young put up the best numbers as a rookie from the entire 2023 rookie draft class. The 77th selection of the 2023 NFL Draft put up the type of numbers that rival some of the best edge rushers drafted in recent memory. But for whatever reason, that has not generated a lot of buzz about his second season in the NFL

I'm not sure why.

* Chubb was injured in 2018 and played in just four games
** Bosa was injured in 2020 and played in just two games
*** Young was injured in 2021 and 2022, appearing in just 12 games in both seasons

It's clear from the table above that Byron Young's rookie season has earned the right to project him as capable of 10.0+ quarterback sacks this season. Young has proven to be lightning fast off the edge, but also has shown a veteran presence when setting the edge and stopping the run.

While we all recognize that the team must improve the overall pass rush, nobody is talking about the fact that some, if not most, of that improvement will come from players who are already on the team's roster. If Young follows suit with other solid outside linebackers (and stays healthy), he should be projected to put up approximately 11.0 quarterback sacks this year.