The Los Angeles Rams rebuilt the interior of their offensive line last offseason by drafting Steve Avila, extending Coleman Shelton and trading for Kevin Dotson. It worked out extremely well, with the three of them all playing well throughout the 2023 season.
The bad news is two of them, Shelton and Dotson, will be free agents in March and aren’t certain to return. That leaves the Rams with gaping holes in the middle of their offensive line, requiring more attention again this offseason.
The Rams have the cap space to keep their guard-center combination intact, but will they pay up to keep Shelton and Dotson? Or will they turn to the draft and add a young lineman (or two) to step in?
Under contract
Joe Noteboom ($20M cap hit)
Brian Allen ($7.29M cap hit)
Steve Avila ($2.1M cap hit)
Grant Miller ($795,000 cap hit)
Mike McAllister ($795,000 cap hit)
As you can tell by this collection of players, the Rams aren’t in great shape at guard or center in 2024. Noteboom can play tackle or guard, but he might be needed at tackle if Alaric Jackson doesn’t return. Or, more likely, he could be cut/traded due to his bloated contract.
Allen could face the same fate after being benched in 2023. That leaves Avila as the only certain starter on the interior, and as good as he is, the Rams need help around him.
Pending free agents
Coleman Shelton (UFA)
Kevin Dotson (UFA)
Tremayne Anchrum Jr. (UFA)
Anchrum wasn’t a starter in 2023, but Shelton and Dotson both were, and Anchrum has the potential to be one of the two starting guards when healthy. That makes this a strong group of pending free agents for Los Angeles.
Dotson was legitimately one of the best guards in the NFL last season and could become one of the top-paid at his position this offseason. The Rams should at least consider being the team that gives him a lucrative multi-year deal.
Shelton’s two-year contract voided because he hit the snap threshold in his deal, so he’ll also hit the market. He won’t cash in the way Dotson will, but he played plenty well enough to earn an extension with Los Angeles.
Level of need: High
The interior of the O-line is a major position of need, but it can be solved relatively easily and quickly by re-signing Shelton and Dotson. That would allow the Rams to trot out the same starting guards and center, which worked well in 2023 and should remain a strength of the team next year, should everyone return.
Adding another interior lineman in the draft should be on the table, too, especially if Shelton is given a short-term deal, but I would expect the Rams to address this group in free agency.
Outlook
The Rams actually have a lot of options with their guards and centers. One possibility is moving Avila to center, re-signing Dotson and adding a guard in the draft to take Avila’s place. Another is simply re-signing Shelton and Dotson to start alongside Avila again. Or, they could let Dotson walk and plug Noteboom in at guard — which would be much to the disappointment of fans.
Interior linemen aren’t flashy or exciting players, but they’re incredibly important to the success of the offense as a whole. It’s no coincidence that the Rams were at their best offensively with Avila, Shelton and Dotson all starting together.
