Looks like we’re going to have to hold off on saying Austin Corbett is the official starting Los Angeles Rams center.
During Monday’s training camp session at UC Irvine’s Crawford Field, there was a Brian Allen sighting with the Rams’ first team offense, as the fourth-year center out of Michigan State took snaps with Matthew Stafford and company.
Brian Allen starts out the day taking snaps for Matthew Stafford at center in situational 11 on 11s, with Austin Corbett at right guard. Obviously this is a change from…the entire spring and camp up until about Saturday. So that’s pretty interesting!
Following practice, head coach Sean McVay confirmed the move to place Allen back at center. And McVay praised what he saw then revealed this: The Rams are still in an evaluation period at the center spot.
“He has played really well,” McVay said to the L.A. media. “We’re still in the middle of evaluating what does it look like to figure out that best combination of those five guys up front. But the way that Brian has played consistently throughout camp – like we’ve said, we know Austin Corbett can be a really good right guard. Bobby Evans has shown that he can be a starting-caliber player for us well. So, it’s really a reflection of how well Brian has played and we’re going to continue to evaluate that.”
And sure enough, on Tuesday morning, the unofficial depth chart now reads Allen as the starting center and Corbett back at right guard, which can be viewed here.
Allen in Redemption Mode?
It speaks volumes about Allen, considering how just two weeks ago he was looking like the odd man out on the starting five. Even Rams beat reporter Jourdan Rodrigue wrote on Monday before practice how Allen wasn’t mentioned as a potential starter and got placed in her “Falling/Still Watching” category.
And, Allen showed a decline following his 2019 knee injury and lost his starting spot to Austin Blythe last season.
But now, sounds like Allen is on an incline back to the starting five, per McVay.
“If you look at Brian Allen, he looks physically impressive,” McVay said. “He’s strong. He’s sturdy. You can see all the work that he has really put in.”
Does that mean he’s fully recovered from that devastating MCL injury in November that wiped away his 2019 season?
“I think you can see that he’s feeling really good being another year removed from that knee injury,” McVay said. “So, we’re able to operate the same. I’ve been really pleased with Brian Allen. I think just his command, his commitment to being ready to go – I couldn’t say enough about how impressive the poise and just how steady (OL) Austin Corbett has been when he bumps inside.”
What Does This Mean for Corbett?
Now, the projection of Corbett unanimously winning the starting center spot can officially be tossed out.
Yet, McVay isn’t ruling out a possible return at center.
“Corbett’s going to be a guy he’s going to be on the field for us. It’s just a matter of is it at center, at that right guard?” McVay said.
As it is, Rodrigue caught the Rams plugging Corbett back in the middle of the offensive trenches toward the end of Monday’s session.
Perhaps this now points to what we could see this Saturday when scrutinizing the offensive line: Allen and Corbett rotating at center against the L.A. Chargers for the preseason opener.
Regardless of who snaps the ball to Stafford and who makes the line signals this season, McVay has seen positive signs out of the former center starter Allen.
“Brian Allen, been a very positive camp for him. Expect him to continue on this trajectory,” McVay said.
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New Centerpiece? L.A. Rams Have Renewed Competition at Center