As the preseason and regular season approach, the Los Angeles Rams are still looking to fill some holes in their roster. Although the team will be bringing back a majority of its roster, the work is still not done.
One area the team hopes to not only plug holes but have depth is on the offensive line. With second-year players Joseph Noteboom and Brian Allen expected to move to starting positions on the line, the Rams are hoping to keep some depth there.
That depth will come from fellow second-year player, Jamil Demby. Demby was selected by the Rams in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. After being cut by the team before Week 1, he joined the Detroit Lions and eventually returned to the Rams in December.
Although Demby has yet to play in an NFL game, run game coordinator/offensive line coach Aaron Kromer still believes he has value to bring to the table and he is getting work at various positions, via Myles Simmons of TheRams.com:
“[W]e both appreciate each other more from that separation and coming back and that has allowed us to grow at a faster rate,” Kromer said during the offseason program.
How so?
“Jamil has played four or five spots — actually, he’s getting reps at all five spots at this point, so we feel strongly about what we’ve seen from him in this offseason,” Kromer said. “Obviously it’s games that are more important than practices with no pads, but we feel really good about him.”
Demby’s experience at all roles on the offensive line will be important once the season is underway. With Allen expected to start at center and Noteboom expected to start at left guard, Demby could be backing up either or all of his teammates. On the Rams unofficial depth chart, they have Demby slated as the second-string left guard.
Although the Rams did not suffer any injuries on the offensive line last year, having a strong backup could be key to the clubs success. Quarterback Jared Goff was sacked 33 times last season, good for 14th most in the NFL. If anyone on the offensive line was to get injured, staying consistent would be key to defending Goff and keeping the offense alive.
Demby spent his college years at the University of Maine. He was a part of an offensive line that allowed the offense to average more than 24 points per game.
