It’s never been a secret that the offensive side of the ball has been Rams head coach Sean McVay’s baby. A vaunted offensive tactician, the Rams have typically spent more capital – whether in the draft, free agency or trade market – on that side of the ball.
So when looking at the Rams’ 2023 youthful roster, it isn’t much of a surprise that most of the veterans are on offense. But that doesn’t mean the unit is without questions entering Sunday’s season opener against the Seattle Seahawks.
Here’s a look at where the offense stands, and what remains to be answered before the Rams kick off the season.
Quarterback: Matthew Stafford, Stetson Bennett IV
Stafford returns for his 15th NFL season after a year plagued by injuries from the onset of training camp. But he described this past offseason as his best in terms of health in years, and he looked sharp in practices with precise passes and tight spirals that impressed his teammates.
Behind him is a fellow Georgia Bulldog. Bennett, a fourth-round pick in April’s draft, had an up-and-down preseason, shaking off early mistakes to look sharp in the first exhibition, only to see his results slip over the next two weeks.
Running back: Cam Akers, Kyren Williams, Zach Evans, Ronnie Rivers
Akers gets his wish from a year ago, entering 2023 as the undisputed starting running back and expected to get a supermajority of snaps. Should an injury occur to Akers, Rivers appears to have separated himself as the secondary rusher behind him.
But watch for Williams to carve out a nice role in the passing game, in which he has received most of the snaps during 11-on-11 drills and joint practices with the Raiders and Broncos. He should serve as the Rams’ primary third-down back this season.
Wide receiver: Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson, Tutu Atwell, Puka Nacua, Demarcus Robinson, Ben Skowronek
If Kupp is healthy and dressed, this unit complements each other well. But with the former Super Bowl MVP dealing with a hamstring injury that requires a specialist’s opinion, this group’s outlook becomes a little shakier. Jefferson missed six games himself a year ago, while Atwell and Skowronek have never served as major contributors in the Rams’ pass game.
While Skowronek will be a special teams captain this year, Atwell has impressed enough with his ability across the middle of the field to warrant some attention from Stafford entering the season. Nacua shined as a rookie during training camp, earning praise from McVay and Kupp. If he’s ready to contribute when the games matter is another question that can only be answered Sunday against the Seahawks, especially if Kupp is sidelined.
Tight end: Tyler Higbee, Brycen Hopkins, Davis Allen, Hunter Long
Higbee remains the clear starter here, but McVay – a former tight ends coach – has been happy with how the room has shaped up through training camp, which could lead to more 12 personnel – one running back and two tight ends – this season, especially should there be an extended absence from Kupp.
Hopkins had a strong training camp, while Allen returned from an injury to shine in the Rams’ second preseason game. The rookie caught all eight of his targets for 53 yards, showing why the Rams took him in the fifth round out of Clemson.
Offensive line: Alaric Jackson, Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, Joseph Noteboom, Rob Havenstein, Brian Allen, Tremayne Anchrum, Kevin Dotson, Warren McClendon, Zach Thomas
A starting lineup, from left to right, of Jackson, Avila, Shelton, Noteboom and Havenstein is merely a projection, as McVay said Monday the Rams will spend the rest of the week figuring out their starting offensive line ahead of Sunday’s opener. This last-second cramming, as the Rams try to sort out the line, doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence entering the regular season, but stemmed from the Rams trying to determine what to do with Noteboom.
The six-year veteran began camp competing with Jackson for the left tackle position, then began working at right guard, a position previously manned exclusively by Anchrum on the first-team offense. After Noteboom missed a key week of joint practices with the Raiders, the Rams traded with the Steelers for Dotson to provide some depth at guard. How the line shakes out remains to be seen, and there might not be an answer until the Rams jog out onto the field for their first offensive possession of the year.