One nitpick is they don't have Allen included on that list of picks (though he was selected 111th overall so it also fits the main point).
But the article is not wrong... Their issues all originate from the OL woes. It was helpful to have Allen back this week and hopefully Shelton returns soon so that Evans (easily the worst OL on their roster) is relegated to the bench again. But while they only play one clear top-10 defense (DEN) and four bottom-10 defenses (SEA twice, LV and KC) the rest of the way their OL any way you assemble it is not going to be even in the top half of the league.
While I don't agree you need to draft OL in the top 75, having 6 of the 8 OL they have taken outside the top 100 and ALL 8 outside the top 85 probably isn't right either. OL are typically greater (or worse) than the sum of their parts. And continuity- or lack thereof- does absolutely matter.
As it currently stands the Rams have the 46th and 78th picks next April. In the past they have been willing to trade 2nd round picks when they could be confident those picks would be outside the top 55. Well that's not a safe bet now... I would be hesitant to give up either of those Day 2 picks in a trade (as well as their 2024 first rounder). Somehow one or more of those picks needs to be leveraged to help rebuild the OL.
Havenstein isn't going anywhere in 2023. Neither is Allen, Shelton, Jackson, Bruss and likely Noteboom.
But that also doesn't mean their starting five and 6th man are that group. I'm a big believer that one notable OL upgrade can have a ripple effect on the entire line (see Timmerman in 1999, Whitworth in 2017, etc.).
They are likely heading toward a 3rd place/easier schedule in 2023. But the 49ers will still be on their schedule twice. So will Dallas, Philadelphia, Baltimore.
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/31/2022 07:14AM by LMU93.
