Coaches see solid progress on offensive line

L.A. Rams position analysis: Coaches see solid progress on offensive line after two good drafts

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/rams-701715-offensive-line.html

It’s called a line, but rarely is it constructed in a linear fashion.

The process of putting together an NFL offensive line is comparable to herding animals. Get one end together, and the other side might begin to stray. The ability to keep five linemen healthy and productive during a 16-game season can be vexing, and there’s no perfect formula.

Nobody needs to tell Rams coach Jeff Fisher. As Fisher enters his fifth offseason, he and General Manager Les Snead are putting the final touches on what he hopes will be a long-term successful Rams line.

“Since our arrival here, we’ve been wanting to build that offensive line through the draft,’’ Fisher told reporters after the end of the season. “This is going to be a good group, and it’s going to be a good group for a long time, with depth.’’

The Rams have in place 23-year-old tackles Greg Robinson and Rob Havenstein, plus 22-year-old guard Jamon Brown. All three starters were drafted by the Rams within the first three rounds in 2014 and 2015.

That’s a shift in focus. From 2010-13, the Rams used only three of their 36 draft picks on offensive linemen, and only one of those – starting left guard Rodger Saffold – is still on the active roster.

The Rams had to deal with two season-ending injuries on the line in 2015, but allowed the fewest sacks in the NFL (18) and helped produce an 1,100-yard rusher in rookie Todd Gurley. That’s progress for the Rams, who had what was considered one of the NFL’s weakest lines in recent seasons.

“They’re young and inexperienced and they’ve got a long way to go to reach a high level,’’ Jackie Slater, Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Rams offensive lineman, told the Register this week. “It hasn’t really worked out, to this point, but they’re trying to build it and get some experience.’’

There’s clear evidence that drafting and developing is the way to go.

Of the 16 offensive linemen originally selected to this year’s Pro Bowl (not counting replacements), 14 still play for the team that drafted them, and 10 were first-round draft picks. Only two of the Pro Bowl linemen were not selected within the first three rounds of their respective drafts.

According to analytic research by the website Pro Football Focus, Dallas had the best offensive line in the NFL this season. Starters included tackle Tyron Smith, center Travis Frederick and guard Zack Martin, who were first-round draft picks of the Cowboys in 2011, 2013 and 2014, respectively.

That’s not to say it’s the only way. Carolina, a Super Bowl team and PFF’s second-ranked line, did not draft any of its starting linemen in the first round. The Panthers feature a second-round pick, a third-round pick, an undrafted free agent and two linemen they signed as free agents.

The Rams, it seems clear, are following the Dallas model. Seven of their 20 draft picks in 2014 and 2015 were used on offensive linemen, and it’s likely that this year, the Rams will use a mid-round pick on a center to replace Tim Barnes, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent.

Otherwise, the Rams have stability. They’d like to see increased progress from Robinson, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2014 draft, but might have found a gem in their other tackle, Havenstein, a 2015 second-round pick who started 13 games and did not allow a sack or get called for a penalty all season.

“I think it’s a pretty tight-knit group,’’ Havenstein told reporters after the season. “No matter who was in there, I think we did a pretty good job of stepping up and playing well.’’