One of the key position battles that’s ongoing in Rams training camp is the one at left tackle. Alaric Jackson is competing with Joe Noteboom, who was the starter to begin last season before tearing his Achilles.
There’s been no indication of who’s winning that competition as camp nears its end, and it doesn’t sound like Sean McVay feels rushed to decide on a starter. During an interview on Inside Rams Camp, McVay said he’s not putting a timetable on when he wants to pick a starting left tackle or center.
“I don’t think you have any real timetable on it. I think you want to continue to be able to evaluate,” he said.
As for what he’s looking for in a left tackle, McVay looked toward Andrew Whitworth, who always talked about production at that position. It sounds simple, but he also wants a player who will take care of his responsibility on each play.
That’s when McVay got a bit more technical, describing a couple of different scenarios that a left tackle might face.
“I think it’s production. I think you look at the big fella that was doing it at a high level for such a long period of time for us, he used to talk about production. What is my job within the framework of each single snap? And did I do my job? Am I checking that box or am I not?” he said. “Sometimes it can be a little bit flashier than others but ultimately, if you’re responsible for reaching an open-side 5-technique and you keep him covered up to be able to run in the B-gap and press it backside, job well done. If you’re responsible for being on the man side of the protection and you keep your guy covered up just long enough to give Matthew a second hitch to be able to get through a progression, job well done.”
Good left tackle battle being waged in @RamsNFL camp between Noteboom and Jackson. So @DMarcoFarr1 asked what the head coach is looking for in a LT.
Was fun to hear McVay go full McVay for the first time in a while. pic.twitter.com/LsmOvct1cq
— J.B. Long (@JB_Long) August 7, 2023
One additional trait McVay wants in all of his linemen is physicality. He wants the Rams to be more physical on both sides of the line of scrimmage, which includes their left tackle.
On that front, Jackson appears to play with a little bit more physicality than Noteboom, so he could end up being the team’s preferred left tackle.
“We’re looking for consistency snap in and snap out. I think we want to be a physical unit, as well,” he said. “I think that’s an important thing for us to establish, physicality on both sides of the line of scrimmage. But it is about production snap in and snap out and consistency and that’s what we want to be able to see.”
McVay hasn’t said whether Jackson or Noteboom will play in the preseason, but given his recent comments about the plan being “very different,” we can assume they’ll get at least some snaps in preseason games to help sort out the position battle.
