Plenty of positives to share for the LA Rams offensive line heading into Week 1

You may not feel confident or comfortable with the LA Rams as the team prepares to open the 2024 NFL season on the road to take on the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football, but give it time. This has been a rather emotional roller coaster for the team, with a lot of optimism built from a solid offseason campaign that reinforced the offensive line, rebuilt the defensive, and sprinkled some depth and upside across the team's roster.

And yet, here we stand, just days away from the season's opener, and I cannot say that any Rams fans are overly confident. Quite the contrary, the mood of most fans runs from cautiously optimistic to downright despair. And yet, this is the same matchup that ended with a one-point victory for the Detroit Lions, despite the Rams offense going zero for three in the redzone.

I think the Rams will score in the red zone this time. I'm sure of it.

But let's limit our focus to the offensive line for now. After all, that has been the epicenter of many emotional ups and downs so far this season. The front office took a huge step by investing in the group over the offseason. Not only did the team extend both LT Alaric Jackson and RG Kevin Dotson but also added free agent IOL Jonah Jackson. The Detroit Lions did not extend Jackson, which gave the Rams an option to pivot from extending starting center Coleman Shelton to sign Jackson.

Meanwhile, the team had more positives from other offensive linemen. 2023 rookie offensive tackle Warren McClendon has grown in his ability, and 2022 rookie interior offensive lineman Logan Bruss has finally worked past two seasons of injuries to show up as a viable backup. Even 2024 rookie offensive tackle KT Leveston has gotten positive reports out of training camp.

But the biggest and best surprise has been former Arkansas center Beaux Limmer:

Beaux is gonna go crazy at some point

It's no secret that I have been sky-high on rookie prospect Beaux Limmer from the moment that the Rams drafted him with the 217th overall pick in Round 6 of the 2024 NFL Draft. He was one of the few players selected by the team that I had mocked, but in that draft, I have the team adding him in Round 5. By getting him in Round 6, his value skyrocketed. Here is what I had to say about him in that final 2024 Rams mock draft:

"What I like most about Limmer here is the fact that he has an incredibly high football IQ that merely needs to have his techniques refined. That is something that OL Coach Ryan Wendell can address in training camp. The Rams have some quality backups looking to earn a roster spot in 2024. But there is always room for one more, and Beaux Limmer has that passionate approach to his craft that gets his name called out here."

Bret Stuter

At the time of his selection, the team appeared to be cemented in a starting five offensive linemen that would be tough to crack in terms of playing time. But, since the draft, the Rams have struggled with injuries, suspensions, and shifting offensive linemen around. Right now, ironman Steve Avila has been moved back to his 2023 role at left guard. And free agent IOL Jonah Jackson has been training for a starting role at center.

But Jackson has played in 25 of the previous two season's 34 games. And he has already suffered an injury with the Rams in training camp through preseason.

Ah, but fear not. Rookie Beaux Limmer is not just a backup center on this roster. He is a center that has already been featured by the best NFL Insider/analyst in the business, Brian Baldinger:

Perhaps moving Jonah Jackson has more strategy than we are giving the team credit for. If Jonah Jackson is an injury risk, then the chances of starting rookie Beaux Limmer increase substantially. And we have already argued that it will be difficult to keep Limmer on the bench this season.

Will Beaux Limmer be called to start at center for the team this season? I can think of no better backup center to do so. Stay tuned. Beaux knows. Soon, we may all know.

OT Rob Havenstein closer to playing

The biggest concern to fans right now is the fact that both starting offensive tackles have been viewed as 'out' for Week 1 until this week. While the status of LT Alaric Jackson was settled with a two-game suspension that has forced the team to turn to swing tackle Joe Noteboom, there has been a flicker of hope that right tackle Rob Havenstein might beat the odds and suit up to face the Detroit Lions.

And this week, that flame has begun to burn a bit brighter.

This week, fans welcomed the news of Rob Havenstein upgrading from out to donning the shoulder pads and commencing individual drills. While not assured of starting in the season opener, this is certainly a huge step in the right direction and leaves the door open for him to play in Week 1.

Havenstein is more than the starting right tackle for the team. He is the senior statesman, the venerable veteran whose role is more than suiting up, putting one hand in the dirt, and blocking defenders. He is the spokesman of the group. He is the guy who signals to the bench when the running game is taking its toll on the defense, and to stick with the run. He is the guy who takes the temperature of the players, and acts as the liaison between players and coaches.

He lobbied hard for the team to extend right guard Kevin Dotson in the offseason.

I am not suggesting that second-year offensive tackle Warren McClendon cannot do well as a temporary starter in Week 1. But I do believe that the offense will have more confidence in a full playbook game plan with Havenstein in as the starting right tackle. After all, he is the starter for good reason.

Rams sign familiar OT to practice squad

The LA Rams had indicated that they would need to address the depth of the offensive line to start the 2024 NFL season, and they did. After all, free agent offensive tackle Conor McDermott has been assigned to IR. Rookie offensive tackle KT Leveston has been assigned to IR/Designated to return. And starting left tackle Alaric Jackson has not only been fighting through injury as well, but he has been suspended for the first two games of the season.

And even starting right tackle Rob Havenstein, the leader of the unit, is questionable to start in the season opener.

So the team is wise to add reinforcements. After the backup offensive tackles Joe Noteboom and Warren McClendon, the only remaining healthy offensive tackle for Week 1 is AJ Arcuri, practice squad offensive tackle out of Michigan State.

He will be joined by rookie offensive tackle Blake Larson, who had a respectable preseason with the team but was released by the team on August 25, 2024. One week later, he was signed to the team's practice squad:

Blake Larson is an undrafted free agent signing in 2024 out of Augustana. A huge offensive tackle, Larson stands 6-foot-7, tips the scales at 306 pounds, and has an incredible 84-inch wingspan. Augustana University is nestled in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and does not get much attention from NFL scouts in terms of rookie prospects.

While we are not flooded with college details about Blake Larson, we can state that despite his small college background, Larson has held up well in his rookie preseason. In fact, he played 68 offensive snaps, did not allow any quarterback sacks, and committed just one penalty. Of course, that does not say that he is ready to start just yet, but it's a very promising debut for a team that has been ravaged by injuries and bad luck at offensive tackle so far.

The Rams offensive line may not be 100 percent healthy. But this is still a strong and deep group that will be very competitive throughout the 2024 NFL season.

As always, thanks for reading.