The one area of the Los Angeles Rams that was the most inconsistent in 2019 was their offensive line. The Rams had the same five offensive linemen for all 16 games in 2018, but it seemingly became a revolving door up front this past season due to injuries and ineffectiveness.
Rob Havenstein only competed in nine games and Joseph Noteboom started six games before a season ending injury got the best of him, leaving multiple spots to be filled. After some shakeups, rookie David Edwards was thrust into the starting lineup at an unfamiliar position.
Edwards excelled as a right tackle with the University of Wisconsin but as injuries ravaged the Rams’ offensive line, he was asked to play both left and right guard, positions he had never played before.
The first year of life in the NFL was certainly a turbulent one for Edwards, but he had his own thoughts when asked to summarize the year himself, via Sarina Morales of TheRams.com:
In one word? Crazy. I came in and started cross-training in different positions. That was totally new to me. And then when Joe Noteboom got hurt, I got thrown in at left guard and never expected I would start games at guard, because I never played the position before. And then got moved to right guard. Just all the different things I did this year I never would have thought I could have done. So, it was cool. Looking back, if you had told me, preseason, you’re going to start games at guard, I’d have said no way. I’d never played it before. It was just really cool to be cross-training when I got here in OTAs and then see the work that I put in come to fruition. It was cool.
Crazy probably describes how most Rams fans felt about 2019 and the offensive line, in particular. While Edwards cannot be singled out as a reason the line was so heavily exploited, his position changing frequently likely did not help the team find its rhythm.
Despite all that, Edwards certainly appears to be a solid young player to build around. Although consistency at one position is certain to help him grow, as an offensive lineman he should get used to moving around to be more versatile. A full offseason as a pro should hopefully provide Edwards with the time to grow into an even better guard or tackle, where L.A. plays to put him long-term.
