Santa left these Rams underperformers lumps of coal on Christmas morning

II - Swing tackle Joe Noteboom

At one point in his NFL career, LA Rams offensive tackle Joe Noteboom was viewed as the natural successor at left tackle for venerable offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth. But due to a lack of durability and productivity, the team had to scrap those plans and promote undrafted offensive tackle Alaric Jackson to start at left tackle. Still, Noteboom had been a serviceable swing tackle who was capable of sliding in for injured teammates and putting up a respectable performance.

Until 2024, that is. You see, this season, the Rams offensive line has struggled to become and stay healthy, particularly earlier in the season. That should have opened the door for Joe Noteboom to do his best work, sliding in and holding down the fort for an injured teammate. But Noteboom fell to injury himself after just one game. If not for the return of Rob Havenstein in Week 2, the team would have been in very bad shape. As it is, Noteboom has played in Week 1 against the Detroit Lions, and Week 10 against the Miami Dolphins. The Rams lost both games.

Noteboom has played just 97 offensive snaps this season and allowed two quarterback sacks. His pass-blocking grade of 30.8 from Pro Football Focus is one of the worst grades I have ever seen from a veteran. He has lost his starting role, and now he has lost the ability to step up for a fallen teammate.

I - DB Tre'Davious White

The signing of free agent defensive back held a great deal of upside for the Rams. A former All-Pro cornerback with the Buffalo Bills, Tre White was still rehabbing from his second consecutive serious injury when he was hotly pursued by the LA Rams front office to consider filling a depth/starting role in the team's secondary.

Unfortunately for the Rams, injuries to Derion Kendrick (out for the season) and Darious Williams (hamstring, out for four weeks), forced the team to send an unprepared to start Tre White onto the football field as the Rams ipso facto starter in the first four weeks of the season. Those games proved to be disastrous for both Tre White and the Rams defense.

As soon as they could do so, the Rams benched White after four weeks of heartbreaking play. He played 252 defensive snaps for the Rams in four games, recorded 12 tackles, missed four tackles, allowed 12 of 18 passes to find their target. Worst of all, he allowed four touchdown completions. For the first time in his career, he was unable to record an interception.

The LA Rams traded him to the Baltimore Ravens for next to nothing. Now in a rotational role in the Ravens defense, Tre'Davious White appears to have found a much better fit. The thing is, the Rams secondary needed him to do what he is doing for the Ravens. Bad Ram. Good Raven. That makes the naughty list.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all of our readers. And thank you for stopping by to read the article.

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