Will Steve Avila Secure a Starting Spot at Guard for the Rams In 2023?

[WestCoastRam]

Barring injury, my guess is that the Rams start the season with the following:

LT Noteboom
LG Avila
C Allen
RG Jackson
RT Havenstein

This seems likely though I'd say it's a toss up between Allen and Shelton at center, but prob Allen if healthy.

 

[Belkster]

Don't sleep on Maginn at RG. The dude is a mauler type of OG. He was overlooked in the draft because of coming out of Wake Forest.

The guy I really want to watch this preseason is Mike McAllister. This guy is a pure center, with 3 years starting at Youngstown State. I think he can play at this level, but he will need good coaching and with Wendell he will get that. I think the Rams see another Shelton type of backup center in him.

I think right now Shelton has a 50/50 chance of starting at center in 2024. IMO Allen is the better center in terms of his defensive reads, but Shelton is physically the better player. If Allen can't get through this season injury free, I think Shelton comes in with the expectation to become the starter long term. I think Wendell sees that Shelton can be a good center, which is why I think he wanted him back. He's played RG as good or better than Austin Corbett.

Avila plugs the one real hole in the OL which is LG. I think Thomas, and Toner give them much better depth on the IOL. Thomas can move outside to RT if needed as well.

The bottom line is I really like the people they have on the OL this year. I think they have some legit depth with no more scurbs off the street. IMO this is a make or break year for both Anchrum and Arcuri. Neither one looked good last year when needed as both were clearly overmatched. Thomas and Toner can easily fill those roster spots as upgrades to the OL depth.

It will be interesting to see this competition for the right to be a center. I too think Shelton has good potential and can play as well as Allen.

 

[tklongball]

Haven't been following Noteboom's recovery, but are we sure he is going to be ready to start the season? I can't imagine a Left Tackle in the NFL recovering from an Achille's Heel injury in less than a year. Granted I couldn't see a RB do it either. Any News on Noteboom's recovery that I missed?

 

[WestCoastRam]

Haven't been following Noteboom's recovery, but are we sure he is going to be ready to start the season? I can't imagine a Left Tackle in the NFL recovering from an Achille's Heel injury in less than a year. Granted I couldn't see a RB do it either. Any News on Noteboom's recovery that I missed?

There's been a lot of talk that he probably won't be ready by start of camp but I would expect he'd be ready by start of season.

 

[jap]

Both Bruss and Avila will be trying to earn their bachelor's, master's, and PhD's as OL guys when they face off against AD99 in practice.

 

[Corbin]

My 2024 starting & back-up OL remains :

LT) Noteboom (if healthy), Jackson
LG) Avila, Anchrum, McClendon
C) Allen, Shelton, Avila
RG) Bruss, Anchrum, McClendon, Zach Thomas
RT) Havenstein, Arcuri, Jackson

A couple from above will wind up on the practice squad where I could also see one or two of Grant Miller, Sean Magnin or Mike McCallister joining them.
jmo.

Fuck if they stay healthy we should be in pretty good hands! However, we do have two Glass Men starting there.

 

[Kupped]

My starting 5 guess.. before any offseason work or preseason?

Jackson
Avila
Allen
Bruss
Havenstein


Bruss not starting in year 2 would represent significant failure, imo.
But, I do think it's possible Anchrum wins one of the starting jobs.
It would be incredible if Anchrum and Bruss just dominated at guard so they could move Avila there. My God.. that would be a beefy and strong interior for a change.

 

[AZRams]

Isn't that why they drafted him!?

 

[Tano]

My hope is that by midseason we will see the following starters

LT Jackson
LG McClendon
C Avila
RG Bruss
RT Havenstein

That looks like a potentially really good OL and hopefully the injuries to Jackson and Bruss were one - offs

 

[Corbin]

My hope is that by midseason we will see the following starters

LT Jackson
LG McClendon
C Avila
RG Bruss
RT Havenstein

That looks like a potentially really good OL and hopefully the injuries to Jackson and Bruss were one - offs

Has McClendon played Guard before?

 

[Tano]

Has McClendon played Guard before?

Has a lot of rookies drafted by the Rams played guard before - and some became decent

I think Edwards was a tackle in college

 

[Loyal]

Look at Avila vs "Big Rob" in this side by side picture. Avila is HUGE!!!!!!! He has a lot of junk in the trunk and I pity the fool (NT) that tries to move him!


View: https://twitter.com/elitster/status/1662832741803790337?s=20

 

[dang]

Look at Avila vs "Big Rob" in this side by side picture. Avila is HUGE!!!!!!! He has a lot of junk in the trunk and I pity the fool (NT) that tries to move him!


View: https://twitter.com/elitster/status/1662832741803790337?s=20

Then there were 3 (Hav, Avila,Ajax). 2 more to go.

 

[LARAMSinFeb.]

My hope is that by midseason we will see the following starters

LT Jackson
LG McClendon
C Avila
RG Bruss
RT Havenstein

That looks like a potentially really good OL and hopefully the injuries to Jackson and Bruss were one - offs

Interesting take. I feel like McClendon’s a little light (290) for the kind of G play we need though.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Interesting take. I feel like McClendon’s a little light (290) for the kind of G play we need though.

I do see where the Rams' site has McClendon at 290 but it also has Alaric Jackson at 285.

And Jackson ain't no 285! Last season, Jackson himself put his weight at around 330.

I don't know why some team sites report inaccurate weights. That was a discussion topic on a thread about two weeks ago but I wouldn't trust the numbers on the Rams' site.

McClendon's Combine weight was reported to be 306.

 

[Londoner]

I don't know why some team sites report inaccurate weights.

To lull their opponents into a false sense of security.

 

[Allen2McVay]

To lull their opponents into a false sense of security.

That's a good strategy!

I hear that Aaron Donald is preparing for his post-NFL-career, and is down to a slimming 192!

 

[PARAM]

My hope is that by midseason we will see the following starters

LT Jackson
LG McClendon
C Avila
RG Bruss
RT Havenstein

That looks like a potentially really good OL and hopefully the injuries to Jackson and Bruss were one - offs

I don't know what to think.
My hope is the OL shakes out this way:

Noteboom LT
Jackson LG
Avila C
Bruss/Anchrum RG
Havenstein RT

That's a big OL.

Next men up (if needed):
Bruss/Anchrum
McClendon
Shelton
Arcuri/Thomas

Where's Allen? Cap relief/dead money

 

[den-the-coach]

I don't know what to think.
My hope is the OL shakes out this way:

Noteboom LT
Jackson LG
Avila C
Bruss/Anchrum RG
Havenstein RT

That's a big OL.

Next men up (if needed):
Bruss/Anchrum
McClendon
Shelton
Arcuri/Thomas

Where's Allen? Cap relief/dead money

Sorry Allen will start at Center this year Gentlemen especially with everyone new along the Offensive Line. They trust Allen love his competitiveness, his ability to make the proper line call & Allen has an excellent rapport with Stafford.

When the dust settles the starting unit could look like this

LT...Jackson
LG...Avila
C...Shelton
RG...Bruss
RT...Havenstein

The backups will be Noteboom, McClendon, Arcuri, Anchrum and either Zach Thomas or Sean Maginn with maybe Brian Allen depending on health.

I do believe Allen is more durable then Noteboom, but this will be the final year for both IMHO and if Shelton does well at Center, he will be the guy moving forward, if not, then Avila or McClendon will move there next year and the Rams will draft another Guard next year.

 

[Merlin]

Allen is gonna keep hanging around and starting just to get on your nerves Den.