Which of these 3 injured LA Rams offensive linemen will remain on the Rams roster?
By Bret Stuter
Simple strategy solves this mini-crises: Enter Kevin Dotson
Well, I'm not claiming that the sky is falling here. For the Rams roster, that simply allows the Rams roster to return Noteboom to his swing-tackle position, a role that he excelled at for several years. For Brian Allen, it simply means giving him more time to rest by allowing him to back up the starting center. In the meantime, if another team inquires about a trade, today is the day to pull the trigger on any move that would allow the Rams to retain a younger backup center.
Finally, IOL Logan Bruss is not yet there. Whether it is the lingering effects of his devastating knee injury from a year ago or simply the rust that had built up when his development was disrupted, Bruss is not even close to being at the level needed for a 53-man roster spot.
I believe that the best move for both Bruss and the Rams roster is to cut him from the active roster, and then re-sign him to the practice squad where we can develop at his own pace and perfect his skills at his most natural position on the offensive line.
The domino effect of bolstering one OL position
The LA Rams front office is certainly not sitting down and napping right now. In fact, LA Rams GM Les Snead acted quickly to shore up the Rams roster, trading for pass-blocking savant Kevin Dotson to give the Rams that final piece to their offensive line puzzle. In doing so, this Rams roster now not only has a much stronger starting offensive line, but the backups are much more impressive this year as well.
While there is a human effect that I do not want to gloss over, which includes the countless and pain-riddled hours of trying to rehab devastating injuries, I do not want that to create some rationale to lower the bar either. The Rams have gone too far in the past of retaining players whose abilities did not measure up to the standards of their position. While ability is vital in the NFL, they do not supercede availability or durability.
To sum it up, the Rams' offensive line must be more dependable and physical this season. This team cannot just send guys onto the football field to protect veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, hold their breath, and hope that they figure it out. Ultimately, positioning both Noteboom and Allen as backups is a far stronger overall Rams roster than subjecting them to a starting role to begin the 2023 NFL season.
Conclusion:
Joe Noteboom - Assigned to backup swing tackle
Brian Allen - Traded or assigned to backup center
Logan Bruss - Waived. Re-sign to practice squad.
This not only is the best move for the team but may very likely be the best for these players as well.