Getty Andrew Whitworth after Super Bowl 56
Does Andrew Whitworth believe the Super Bowl champs have the front line in place to counter incoming defensive threats? And there’s no need to dip into free agency or the trade market?
Whitworth went from teaching Logan Bruss some nuggets of the Los Angeles Rams offensive blocking schemes during his training camp rounds to unfortunately joining the Rams and their fans in needing to wait another season to watch the 2022 rookie in action.
When the right guard out of Wisconsin went down with a torn ACL, many Ram and NFL fans wondered what would become of the spot the 6-foot-5, 309-pounder suddenly vacated. As it already was, the Rams were seeking out a replacement for the departed Austin Corbett who signed a three-year, $26,250,000 contract with the Carolina Panthers. Now, former Ram Von Miller and the league’s best defense from a season ago are on deck for Thursday, September 8.
Well, “Big Whit” believes the Rams don’t need to push the panic button…let alone tap into free agency to fill that void, even with names like Ereck Flowers and Oday Aboushi still available. Whitworth raved about one backup last season who he called “tough as nails” in his exclusive one-on-one interview with Heavy on Rams through his partnership with Pepsi released on Wednesday, September 7.
Who ‘Big Whit’ Projects to Start
Whitworth said a veteran from nearby Pasadena is going to slide into the right side.
“Coleman Shelton is going to start at right guard,” Whitworth told Heavy. “Coleman’s a tireless worker and a guy who’s got a real passion for the game of football and a lot of fun to be around from that standpoint. He’s tough as nails.”
Should the 6-foot-4, 299-pound guard get officially announced as the starting right guard, it gives him the chance to build off the two starts he made last season during the Rams’ Super Bowl 56 run. Per Pro Football Reference, Shelton didn’t get the chance to start until last season, his third NFL season.
Shelton additionally comes with a Swiss Army-knife trait to the Rams’ trenches — the ability to play in multiple spots. According to Pro Football Focus, Shelton lined up at left guard and center for the Rams. In total, Shelton had 18 snaps as a guard [all versus the Minnesota Vikings] and lined up on 186 plays as a center, including a season-high 67 center snaps versus the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Turns out, Whitworth believed it was the former Washington Husky Shelton, not Bruss, who was going to handle the right guard reins.
“He’s going to start there and that was kind of the plan. Logan would’ve backed him up best case scenario,” Whitworth said.
Whitworth Raves About 2022 OL Group
The All-Pro Whitworth is no longer pushing and shoving sleds or defensive linemen, as he’s now transitioning to a broadcast career with Amazon.
However, he’s observed what he’s seen out of the 2022 Rams OL group. Even if Shelton isn’t the guy to man the right interior spot, Whitworth says the champs “have plenty of people” capable of moving over.
“Alaric ‘A.J.’ Jackson can play in there,” Whitworth began. “Tremayne Anchrum had a really good preseason and last year he had a really good preseason. He got banged up a little bit last preseason, that was the only thing that held him back from being the guy last year. He’s a guy who can play left and right guard and has played it well. I would be interested in seeing Tremayne get in there and play and see how he would do because he’s grown a lot and continued to put together two straight good camps. I think they’re fine with having guys to back up Coleman Shelton in that situation.”
He especially believes in the man who is projected to take over the blindside duties in helping protect Matthew Stafford.
“Anyone who has seen the Rams heavy enough probably has seen how well Joe Noteboom has played when he’s had opportunities. But I don’t think nationally if you really look at the NFL, most don’t know much about who Noteboom is,” Whitworth said. “I think he’s going to be a guy who’ll play really well and I think he’s going to be a name as one of those guys who has people saying ‘Man, this guy is a really good pass protector’ if he stays healthy.”
Whitworth & Pepsi
Whitworth helped unveil a new project on Wednesday morning called Pepsi 18 Week Pack — which plans to give NFL fans a new state-of-the-art experience in watching gamedays.
Per a press release, the Pepsi 18 Week Pack is “a tiny home that one lucky fan will have the chance to live in for all 18 weeks of the 2022 NFL season. The Pepsi 18 Week Pack takes gamedays to an entirely new level, ensuring everything you need for a marathon day of football is within reach – literally.”
Included are cozy seats and a mini fridge stocked with Pepsi. Whitworth gives a tour below.