Eagles Super Bowl win shows Rams have to get offensive line right in 2025

Rams front office must get the offensive line right this offseason.

When the Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl 59, the reason was clear throughout the game. Defensively, the Eagles dominated at the line of scrimmage. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes wasn’t comfortable from the first drive. On the offensive line, the Eagles allowed a pressure rate of just 23.3 percent. They continue to be one of, if not the best, offensive line in the NFL.

While the Los Angeles Rams defensive line was good in 2024, the same could not be said about the offensive line. From the onset of training camp, it was a group that was surrounded by chaos and change.

The Rams signed Jonah Jackson in free agency, only for him to miss OTAs and then immediately get hurt in training camp. Initially, the plan was to move Steve Avila to center which is where he played during his sophomore and junior seasons at TCU. However, just weeks before the season, the Rams opted to play Jackson at center. It’s worth noting that Jackson hadn’t played center since his early seasons in college. That also doesn’t mention that Alaric Jackson missed the first two weeks of the season due to a suspension.

This was a group of five that was never able to settle in and gain any cohesiveness. Even after training camp, Steve Avila got hurt along with Rob Havenstein. The Rams didn’t take a single snap with their preseason starting five all on the field at the same time. When the offensive line was finally healthy, Beaux Limmer deservedly earned a starting spot at center.

The Eagles offensive line only ranked 14th in continuity score in 2024. With that said, it’s a group that has grown together for much of the past three years. With Jeff Stoutland as the offensive line coach, the Eagles have one of the best offensive line development paths in the NFL. It’s a reason why they were able to move on from Jason Kelce so quickly. Cam Jurgens was a second-round pick that was able to slot into that spot.

That ecosystem is a well-oiled machine where players can slot in and out of different positions without much of a drop-off. It’s a reason why they can take chances on a player like Mekhi Becton and turn him into a quality starter.

It’s nearly impossible to replicate what the Eagles have built on that side of the ball. However, the Rams didn’t necessarily help themselves last summer either. The Rams can’t spend another offseason with so many changes on the offensive line and the front office has to get it right. This is a group that has to get reps together during the summer which they did not get last year.

There are a lot of potential changes to this group with only two guaranteed starters in Avila and Kevin Dotson. The Rams would like to have Alaric Jackson back, but as a 26-year-old free agent left tackle, he may command more than they want to pay. Jonah Jackson isn’t guaranteed back. It’s possible that both sides simply want to accept that it wasn’t a match. Rob Havenstein is a consistent presence, but he is in the final year of his deal and is 33-years-old.

This is not to say that the Rams offensive line was bad when they all played together. In the games that the Rams did have their starting five, the upside within the offense was obvious. Still, the Rams front office can take several different paths with the offensive line this offseason and they will likely look to upgrade certain spots.

PFF

Whichever path they choose, it has to be the right one. It’s no coincidence that throughout the Sean McVay era, the offenses have been at their best when the offensive line has been inside the top-10. In 2018, the Rams had the fifth-ranked pass-blocking offensive line according to PFF. They ranked third in offense EPA per play that season. When the Rams won the Super Bowl in 2021, they had PFF’s top-rated pass-blocking offensive line.

It goes the other way as well. The 2019 season was the first time that McVay missed the playoffs and the offensive line ranked 29th. In 2022, it ranked 25th. The Rams offensive line dealt with a lot of injuries in 2024, but they still ranked 30th in pass-blocking according to PFF. It’s almost surprising that they were able to recover from a 1-4 start.

Again, the Rams defensive line is in a good spot. That’s a group that took over games when they needed to. They ranked 10th in quarterback pressure rate last season at 35.6 percent. With Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, and Kobie Turner, that is a group that is in a good position moving forward. They have the ability to consistently disrupt games.

The offensive line is where the Rams have to get it right. The Rams need Avila to take a step forward in year three and make a decision on where they want to play him moving forward. Between moving him around and the early-season injury, Avila took a step back. They need to decide whether Jackson and Limmer are their starting left tackle and center or if they want to take a risk with an unknown quantity.

From there, it’s about adding reliable depth. No team started all five offensive linemen in all 17 games last year. It’s unrealistic to stay healthy up front over the course of an entire season. The Rams need to upgrade from Joe Noteboom and find depth along the interior. If there is a case to keep Jonah Jackson, it is that he is at least a top-backup, albeit an expensive one.

The window to win another Super Bowl with Matthew Stafford is closing. For the Rams to take advantage of the final years of Stafford, they need to be able to protect him. To do that, they need to get it right in an offseason that could bring a lot of changes on the offensive line.