The summer has not gone the way the Los Angeles Rams wanted as they went winless in their three preseason games.
Their most recent defeat was the worst as they were shutout 41-0 by the Denver Broncos. Although Sean McVay continued to hold out his starters in preparation for Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks, their performance didn’t instill much confidence in fans that they’ll be competitive during the regular season.
One of the big question marks Los Angeles still needs to answer is the state of their offensive line as McVay has been tinkering with different lineups during training camp. The o-line was decimated by injuries in 2022, but this year is different as the team has several returning veterans and young talent available to start.
Tremayne Anchrum Jr. is a name to look out for as he has the ability to swing between tackle and guard and he believes that this year’s offensive line is going to surpass expectations, via J.B. Long of TheRams.com:
“This offensive line is going to be the best it’s ever been. I believe that wholeheartedly,” the Rams 2022 nominee for Walter Payton Man of the Year said.
“In the offensive line room, this year, we’re like ‘You’ve got to prove it.’
“If you’re the best, I don’t care what you’ve done two, three, four years ago. If you’re the best, show me. That’s competition all across the line. And I love that.”
It’s a bold claim for Anchrum to make especially considering how poorly the line looked last year, but confidence is always a good thing to have in the NFL. For Anchrum, he was held out of the game against the Broncos which might signal he’s in line to start against the Seahawks.
If he gets the nod it would be at right guard as he has been competing with Joseph Noteboom. The newly-acquired Kevin Dotson could also be in the mix once he gets up to speed.
Anchrum has unfortunately already dealt with his fair share of injuries since being taken in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft, though it appears he’s finally getting an opportunity to contribute. Although McVay hasn’t announced who the starters will be for Week 1, it’ll be interesting to see where Anchrum ends up.
Rams acquire Kevin Dotson from Steelers
Although Los Angeles has more depth in their offensive lineman room, the team felt the need to add to it as they struck a deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers for Dotson.
Dotson was originally a fourth-round pick of the Steelers in 2020 and brings experience at the guard position. He started all 17 games for Pittsburgh in 2022, though it remains to be seen if he’ll immediately start for L.A.
