Rams C Brian Allen Reveals Thoughts on Rookie OG Logan Bruss, New OL Group
Though most of the stars of the Los Angeles Rams' offense are back from a season ago, the team returns just three of its five starting offensive linemen.
Left tackle Andrew Whitworth rode off into the sunset after 16 outstanding seasons, highlighted by four Pro Bowls and three All-Pros, while right guard Austin Corbett departed for the Carolina Panthers in free agency.
Filling the Whitworth-sized hole as quarterback Matthew Stafford's blindside protector will be fifth-year pro Joe Noteboom, who received a three-year, $40 million contract this offseason after starting three games in place of Whitworth in 2021, including the divisional round matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The heavy favorite to replace Corbett is third-round rookie Logan Bruss, whom the Rams selected with their first selection in the 2022 Draft. Bruss, 22, played tackle and guard at Wisconsin, both on the right side, and earned high marks from the Rams' decision makers during the draft process.
Returning to anchor the line is center Brian Allen, who signed a three-year, $18 million contract extension in March. According to Allen, despite the new faces in the room, the Rams have already established a foundation built on trust.
“There’s guys that have been in the room, not counting out Bruss if he's the guy in at right guard, but guys who have all played meaningful snaps and guys I trust guys in the room, coaches trust," Allen said upon arrival for training camp. "So we're really just excited for them to get the opportunities and whether that's Joe (Noteboom) coming in at left tackle, he was playing the playoffs this year for us when Whit (Whitworth) was down, and Coleman (Shelton) played in games and Bruss coming in."
"Excited" was a commonly used phrase by Allen, but especially so when it came to Bruss. The two grew up in Big Ten country, Bruss in Wisconsin and Allen in Illinois, and went to a pair of Big Ten schools, with Bruss staying home and Allen opting for Michigan State.
While USC and UCLA will be joining the conference in a few years, Allen and Bruss will be bringing the staple Big Ten physicality to Los Angeles a few years early, something Allen is eager to see come together.
"Looking forward to seeing what he can do and just being with him for the short time and OTAs, he's about all the right stuff, works hard, tough kid and I think he's going to be a pretty good player for us," Allen stated. "So just excited to see how everything unfolds and we'll get an opportunity to work a couple different things whatever the coaches have in the plan. But just excited to see how it goes.”
Football games are won and lost in the trenches, and Los Angeles' group up front is off to a promising start, with the room centering around trust and excitement. The Rams won big a season ago in part due to outstanding line play and enter 2022 with one mission: do it again.
"We want to win the Super Bowl this year," said Allen. "I think that's the standard here and that's the goal."
