Ironclad reasons not to sleep on the LA Rams offensive line in 2024

Why extending Kevin Dotson and Alaric Jackson were vital for 2024

The LA Rams offensive line was not picture-perfect in 2023. But the worst outings for the groups occurred very early in the season, and more specifically in Week 3. In that contest against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Rams offensive front allowed six quarterback sacks, and could not get anything going in the run game.

In that game, left tackle Alaric Jackson left in the first half due to a thigh injury. Right guard Joe Noteboom left in the third quarter with a knee injury and did not return. Prior to that pair of injuries, the Rams had allowed just one quarterback sack.

The Rams had plenty of options for players this offseason, including targeting some of the top offensive linemen in the 2024 NFL Draft. The team chose to stick with the team's offensive linemen from 2023, and tweak the roster a bit in terms of reinforcing the depth at key positions.

With the loss in the offseason of both Coleman Shelton and Brian Allen, the team needed to address the center position. But by extending both Kevin Dotson and Alaric Jackson, the Rams rewarded two players who were entrusted with starting rolls on the offensive line, and performed better than expected.

The means to improving the offensive line again lies in finding the ideal blending of returning players and new faces. In 2023, the Rams reworked almost their entire offensive line with amazing results. This season, the team's continuity at the offensive line group should allow the offense to gel even better.