Breaking: Rams close in to sign former Patriots favorite offensive tackle in a blockbuster deal.
In early August, I would love to be discussing worries about the offensive line.
During NFL training camp, there are roughly ten thousand things to discuss, and nearly all of them are less nerve-wracking than injuries to the offensive line. Few things can ruin a season more than a string of injuries sustained in early August, which is great news for the Rams since that’s precisely what’s occurred thus far.
The Rams have somehow ended up in an arguably worse position than they were last year, even after spending the summer putting the position first. Alaric Jackson, the tackle, is dealing with an ankle injury; Rob Havenstein, the right tackle, is dealing with a foot problem; and Jonah Jackson, the recently signed left guard, is dealing with a shoulder issue. Even though none of the three injuries are anticipated to be significant, you can forgive Rams supporters for experiencing a small amount of worry as those are three of the five expected starters this season, according to PFF.
It also helps to understand why the Rams signed nearly every offensive lineman that was available. The summer is very much over in Les Snead. The severity of the situation is demonstrated by their most recent rumored signing.
Reportedly, the Rams plan to sign veteran offensive lineman Conor McDermott.
After visiting and signing former Patriots offensive tackle Conor McDermott, the Rams began their buying spree:
Here’s the cliff notes version for those of you who might be using your brain space for something other than an in-depth understanding of NFL offensive lineman with depth: Interestingly enough, McDermott has spent his whole eight-year career with AFC East teams. The Patriots selected him in the draft, however in 2017 he was signed by the Buffalo Bills after being released. Before joining the New York Jets and playing most recently in New England, he was there for two seasons. Although he has never really been a starter (ha ha ha, everything is fine), he has made more starts in the last two seasons than he has in the previous two combined. That’s something, then!
Practically speaking, this appears to be a preseason move because, regrettably, teams are required to field a complete roster for each game; it’s just one of those annoying NFL non-negotiables hidden in the rulebook. And it would be even better if McDermott could be a respectable backup once the Rams’ starters return to the field. But in LA, it’s officially panic time. Just think of what the second week of August has in store!
