Upside of Rams LG Austin Corbett is undeniable...

Upside of LA Rams left guard Austin Corbett is undeniable

[ramblinfan.com]

When the LA Rams began the 2019 season, interior offensive lineman Austin Corbett was prepared to play for the Cleveland Browns. But by mid-October 2019, the Rams offensive line was already unraveling, as the left guard, Joseph Noteboom fell to a season-ending injury. Wasting no time,

LA Rams general manager Les Snead contacted the Cleveland Browns about an offensive lineman who played on three special teams snaps. But he was the 33rd pick for the Cleveland Browns in the 2018 NFL Draft. His draft profile was strong, but nothing stood out. But in the draft analysis, Mike Mayock loved him, citing him as one of the cleanest (no penalty) players in the draft, and one with a bit of a mean streak.

Delayed opportunity

Lots of draft love never turned into an opportunity for Corbett in Cleveland. The Browns were set at both offensive guard positions when drafting Corbett. He arrived at the Browns under offensive head coach Hue Jackson but was led by head coach Gregg Williams for the final eight games. By 2019, the now second-year player was up to his third head coach in Freddie Kitchens.

By October 2019, early into his second year, he was traded to the LA Rams and met his fourth head coach Sean McVay. He returns to the Rams this year with a career first: He will be playing for the same head coach who he played for a season ago. Two years, four head coaches, four different playbooks and offensive philosophies, 22 NFL games where he saw action, eight games starting.

Put yourself in his position

Let’s say you hired on for a job to work for a new boss. Within six months of your hiring, that boss was fired. Your next boss, a temporary manager, stayed on for six months. Then he was replaced by a new boss. But in six months’ time, you found out that your company had transferred you all the way across the country, and oh, by the way, be ready to hit the floor running at your new job. For all that moving and reporting to new bosses, that’s just the logistics side of the equation.

Austin Corbett is a solid offensive line talent who arrived at the LA Rams from a very dysfunctional NFL team. He arrived and was almost instantly plugged into the LA Rams starting offensive line. Is it any wonder that his 2018 PFF grade of 54.9 looks very similar to his 2019 PFF grade of 51.8? It’s difficult to improve your swimming stroke when you are trying to keep from drowning.

From cobwebs to center stage

Lots of moving, learning a new playbook, and moving on in 18 months for Corbett. Shockingly, his arrival and being pushed into an immediate starting role for the LA Rams at left guard is the most stable situation Corbett has enjoyed in his first two seasons. Imagine that? Is it any wonder that his game performance never seemed to build from a sparse use from the previous season? Corbett was a collegiate left tackle who was trained to back up the center in his first NFL season, For his second NFL season, the Browns traded away their solid right guard, and expected Corbett to win the job. When he didn’t, the team pretty much gave up on him.

That’s how the Cleveland Browns converted their 2018 33rd pick into a 2021 5th round pick. But from the LA Rams perspective, the Rams landed one of the best offensive linemen from that 2018 NFL Draft. And in the process, found a player to plug into their offensive line as the successor to the great Rodger Saffold. Of course, that type of performance will take time to replicate, if ever. But the job as the starting left guard is most definitely his to lose now. So what should the Rams realistically expect from their returning veteran?

Reason for higher expectations

Austin Corbett will definitely improve this year. Barring some injury to hamper his performance, I expect the young lineman to make huge strides for the team this season. How much will he improve? Well, he’s had an entire off-season to adjust to playing for the LA Rams, and an extended period of virtual training camp to meet his teammates, learn the playbook, and interact with the coaching staff. While many players will struggle this season as rookies, the 2020 offseason provided exactly what Corbett needed to get his bearings and lay the foundation for a solid season.

Corbett’s college background at the left tackle helps his role at left guard tremendously. His keys are opposite from the right side of the football. And that means his first reactions to surprises on the left side will be correct. And finally, for the first time in Austin Corbett’s career, he enters a football season with the same coaching staff and knowing which position he will be playing. And he faces familiar opponents.

Learning curve

Corbett’s learning curve was hampered due to events that were never in his control. But that’s behind him now, thankfully. Offensive linemen have one of the steepest learning curves in the NFL. But those early years recede, and if teams are patient, supportive, and coach well, those young men develop into outstanding NFL players. Corbett is finding all the necessary components with the Rams, and that makes his projected progress heading into this year significantly more likely.

Corbett lines up between Andrew Whitworth on his left, and Austin Blythe on his right. Much like Blythe, Corbett is young and improving. At 6-foot-4 and 306-pounds, he is an ideal size to play the position. Finally, based on Next Gen stats, the LA Rams offensive line was more effective than expected last year. And the LA Rams are returning more offensive snaps to the offense than any other NFC West team. It all adds up for one heckuva season for the LA Rams Austin Corbett this year.