Jonah Jackson at center!

  • To unlock all of features of Rams On Demand please take a brief moment to register. Registering is not only quick and easy, it also allows you access to additional features such as live chat, private messaging, and a host of other apps exclusive to Rams On Demand.
Great way to look at this though I would guess it's Avila an 85 at center and and and Jackson and 80 (or whatever the numbers, just that Avila is still slightly ahead of Jackson).

But you want that 90 at LG right now with the LT out and his ability to help the center.

Then I think Jackson's health and Limmer's potential only push this decision to the forefront more.

I suspect if it's not a disaster for Jackson this is the configuration for the year but bets are off next year.
The season hasn't started yet but I'm already leaning towards the idea that Jackson may only be here for 1 year.
 
I dont let it get to me too much anymore. I used to second guess almost every move the Rams made. Then Stan hired McVay, and second guessing just made me wrong more often than not. Now I trust McVay knows better than me.
I mean really what do we know?
 
Which puts more strain on MS ? A 2nd year guy with zero live snaps at center or the high caliber smart vet who HAS played center with Stafford so he knows how MS likes the snap, & communicates in general. He also knows the DET IDL very well. Additionally, DET's DC & DL coach have to be the most uneasy about this possibility; they doubtless had a bunch of stunts & twists, blitzes planned to bamboozle Avila that a vet IOL like JJ is likely to ID/adjust to more effectively. The strain/burden is on them to now adjust, imo.

I'll take actual experience over practice familiarity/reps in these specific circumstances.

Whether this means anything about Avila's development won't be clear for a couple of games, imo.
 
Who makes the line calls in this system? In the past it was the center but I thought it was Stafford once he came on.
Center makes calls while the QB oversees them, at least that is my understanding. QB is always ultimately responsible of course, since protections are his ass. And Stafford is among the best at it. But when they are in a hostile stadium environment, and his OT protections are already a concern... Feels like a lot of shit to be on his shoulders to me.
 
Is that possible with his current contract? I thought it was easy for the Rams to get out of it after 2 seasons. 1 season might be hard to do
If they cut him after this season, they would save $3.33 mil. but that would be a $11.33 mil. dead cap hit. After '25 they would save $17 mil.

So yeah, much more likely he plays 2 seasons in L.A.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hotanez
Jourdan Rodrigue said, "RT Rob Havenstein got some work in individual period today, a small escalation of his workload after mostly working to the side with athletic trainers the last couple of weeks."
 
Jourdan Rodrigue said, "RT Rob Havenstein got some work in individual period today, a small escalation of his workload after mostly working to the side with athletic trainers the last couple of weeks."
my guess is they will sit him this 1st game but if he can go what a boost that would be for our Oline. He's definitely the leader of that group.
 
Also and btw... IF we go into Detroit with Jackson at Center it's going to be a fucking bloodbath for the OL. Because you have the following elements coming together in combination:

1. Jackson not getting repetitions in camp and preseason at the pivot or in making the calls. This puts more on Stafford, who must be aware of the need to check the line calls to avoid getting put on his ass by free rushers.

2. Detroit's crowd was, according to McVay, the loudest he had heard. Louder than New Orleans in the playoffs and those fucks were using whistles and shit. So the OL being on one sheet of music in the face of this level of hostility is made harder by Jackson not being used to making the calls.

3. OTs will be manned by depth options. This means whoever draws Hutch will probably eat up a TE for assist on deep drop plays. It also means Stafford, who already has to be more aware on line calls, will be unsettled. He has never done well in games where his blindside is in question.

So back to the Center situation... If Avila and Jackson had done well in those roles as a duo throughout camp and scrimmages, there is no fucking way they would have moved them. Avila in fact would be depended upon to lead our OL in what will be a savage and difficult environment.
Eating up a TE on run plays to dominate the game via run is fine. Eating up a TE on passing plays to even thinags up is not. I believe Hav plays but the pressure will be on AJax to step in week 3 and make up for whatever situation he put himself in. Not good for his tenure if he doesn’t.
 
  • Cheers
Reactions: Merlin
Eating up a TE on run plays to dominate the game via run is fine. Eating up a TE on passing plays to even thinags up is not. I believe Hav plays but the pressure will be on AJax to step in week 3 and make up for whatever situation he put himself in. Not good for his tenure if he doesn’t.
I'll feel a lot better about things if Hav can go, that is for sure.
 
Center makes calls while the QB oversees them, at least that is my understanding. QB is always ultimately responsible of course, since protections are his ass. And Stafford is among the best at it. But when they are in a hostile stadium environment, and his OT protections are already a concern... Feels like a lot of shit to be on his shoulders to me.
Are you saying that's what happens currently with Stafford and the Rams?

There are a number of offenses where the QB makes the calls and not the center (I think Chiefs now and Pats and Colts - back with Brady and Payton were like this) . Generally that is not the case in the Shanahan system. But I thought I read that Stafford, because of his ability (and the systems he was in that asked him to do it), had taken over line calls when he got here. I do not know that to be the case though.

It's my understanding that if you have a QB who can handle line calls, it's preferable that he does it and not the center.
 
Last edited:
The season hasn't started yet but I'm already leaning towards the idea that Jackson may only be here for 1 year.
Jonah Jackson? Not with the way his dead money is set up next year IMO.
 
I don't really know much about his contract, what would that look like?
It would save $3.33 mil after this season but a dead cap hit of $11.33 mil. After '25 they would save $17 mil.

After reviewing his contract I think he stays 2 seasons.