Which 2nd year LA Rams player is the most promising building block for 2024?

It's definitely the offseason, which means that the rivalry between Bleacher Report and Pro Football Focus as to which site can publish the most number of speculative articles is in full force right now. And one of the entries from Bleacher Report has to be a recent offering of David Kenyon, who names Every NFL Team's Most Promising Building Block Entering 2024. Surprisingly, he does not do a bad job.

It's an ambitious project, trying to isolate and identify the most valuable young contributor from all 32 NFL teams can be a nightmare. And let's not overlook the fact that it is a complex project when discussing a team like the LA Rams, a team that rebuilt the engine while running a race in 2023. Now, with a new season ahead and a year's worth of NFL Playoff-bound experience under their belts, this team has the benefit of significant upside from any one of several returning young players.

Like who? Let's dive right in:

V: P Ethan Evans

While it's quite uncommon for anyone to lead the cheers for LA Rams punter Ethan Evans, Evans is no common or ordinary punter. After all, he stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 231 pounds, which is more linebacker-sized than punter. But he is more than just a punter as well. He is, well, a punter who kicks off. Or is it a kicker who punts the football? In either case, he is a sensational special team specialist who returns for his second season in the NFL.

In terms of punts, Evans punted 63 times in 2023, and averaged 49.2 yards per punt. Unfortunately, due to return yards allowed, he netted just 38.4 yards per punt. Not bad, but could have been better with less return yardage. He only punted a touchback 11.1 percent of the time. But when it came to punting inside the 20 yard line, he nailed that 31.7 percent of the time. He did suffer one blocked punt.

On kickoffs, his foot was called into duty 82 times in 2023. On those occasions, he natiled a touchback 73 times, or nearly 90 percent of his kickoffs. But with the new kickoff changes coming in 2024, can he be as effective?

Well, this is where it gets good. I believe that because he has so much punting experience, that Ethan Evans could give the LA Rams football team a distinct advantage to the challenges imposed on the league by the new rules. Of course, we will all see first-hand if that proves to be true. But Evans is certainly a young building block for 2024 and beyond.