the center competition

Why is there a competition and why will it take a few pre-season games?

I think Boudreau spoke to that. It’s from here, in The Great Boudreau Thread: http://theramshuddle.com/topic/boudreau-discusses-rams-new-look-ol/

Here’s what he says: “I have confidence in whoever wins this job, it’s going to be because he earned it. . . .Who’s gonna keep it all calm? Who’s gonna make the right call? Who’s gonna make us get in the right protections as far as going in the game and knowing what to do?”

Basically what he’s saying there (IMO) is that he needs to see how the 3 different candidates behave with the bullets flying. You can’t get it from watching practice. In the heat of the moment, does the guy have it in him to be calm, be a leader, be eyes, make calls, settle the line, and so on.

It is the thing that, it seems, means the most to him. So they have to find that out through pre-season action. That’s the only way he can find out. And I personally am okay with that.

And here’s my take on that. Twice in the last 10 years, Boudreau put lines out there that were effective, but had guys at center who on paper would not cut it. One was Romberg in the last 1/3rd of 2006. One was the beat-up, diminished version of Wells in 2013.

I just figure, odds are, at least one of the current guys is better than either Romberg 2006 or Wells 2013. And he did okay with Romberg 2006 and Wells 2013. So to me the odds are he will at least do as well in 2015 with whoever it is.

To me the issue with the OL this year will be having 2 young tackles. That’s what I tend to think will break down, if anything does.

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