Breaking down the LA Rams roster and 2023 season in these 3 words

III: Durability

The greatest ability to possess in the NFL is availability. To amass that, players on the roster of any NFL team must exhibit significant durability. The LA Rams are not the first team in the history of the NFL to be obliterated with an unexplained yet unrelenting outbreak of injuries. But this could be the first team to step back, clear the roster of nearly all highly compensated and severable contracts with highly regarded veterans, and start over.

The durability problem arose before the Rams 2022 NFL season ever started. When the LA Rams opted to start both Joe Noteboom at left tackle and Brian Allen at center, the team was taking a chance that the tendency of both Noteboom and Allen to be healthier in 2022 than at any time in their NFL careers. That seemed pretty optimistic if just one player was expected to compete all season long.

2023 starters must be durable

Brian Allen played in just seven games for the LA Rams in 2022. Joe Noteboom played in just six games for the LA Rams in 2022. That means that the decision to start those two players cost the Rams 21 games. What could the Rams have done differently? If the Rams began the season prioritizing durability, then both players would have been slotted in as quality backup offensive linemen, and the Rams may have addressed the group with more intensity.

Even if the Rams had made a choice at just one starting offensive lineman position, the cascade effect on the overall group would have had a very positive effect. Will the Rams have a chance to remedy their durability concerns from 2022 this season? Drafting interior offensive lineman Steve Avila with the 36th overall pick was a huge step in the right direction. If he has the chance to be flanked by Alaric Jackson at left tackle and Coleman Shelton at center, the Rams offensive line will not only be more durable, but will thrive at both run blocking and pass protection this year.