Position Battles On Offense

The St. Louis Rams are playing the Cleveland Browns and just like in the regular season all eyes will be on the Rams offense. But does anyone care how Sam Bradford plays now? Okay, fine we will always care about him, but what about the other players on the offense?

To make watching a preseason game more interesting here are the important position battles to watch for.

QB

The battle for the third signal caller

This battle is squarely between 6th round rookie Garrett Gilbert and veteran Austin Davis. Neither of the two have really stood out so far, however Gilbert looks a tad bit better between the two. With Gilbert being a rookie it would be a surprise if the Rams don't find a way to keep him over Davis. Last year the Rams only carried two quarterbacks, so Gilbert will probably be cut and placed on the practice squad.

RB

Trying to back up Zac Stacy

The backup running back position is Benny Cunningham's spot to lose. Rookie Tre Mason has shown some impressive runs, however it's his bad pass blocking that will prevent him from being the backup. Mason will have to show improvements against the Browns, or he will be the third-stringer throughout the season. This wouldn't be horrible because it gives him a chance to work on his craft, but that's what we thought when Isaiah Pead was drafted a couple of years ago.

WR

The 4th receiver is still important right?

Finally we know that Brian Quick will be starting alongside Kenny Britt and Tavon Austin will start in the slot. What we don't know is who will be the 4th receiver, which is important if the Rams switch receivers in and out based on matchups. Stedman Bailey could be that guy, because he catches everything and runs routes that could break your legs. Chris Givens who was last year's starter seems to be low in the pecking order and should be the 4th receiver leading up to the season, because of Bailey's incoming suspension which will cost him to miss the first four games of the season.

TE

Can a 4th tight end make the roster?

More than likely rookie Alex Bayer will be the 4th tight end that the Rams keep. Justice Cunningham is another possibility, but he will have to play better in the next two games. The Rams might even try and stash both of them on the practice squad and develop them some more.

OL

Who will be the backups?

The Rams backup offensive linemen are almost as important as the starters. Does that sound a little crazy? Well left tackle Jake Long, center Scott Wells, and guard Rodger Saffold, have all struggled with injuries and missed games throughout their career. The sixth linemen is likely Mike Parson who played left tackle, center, and guard last week against the Packers. The Rams could keep veterans Tim Barnes and Davin Joesph. But then you have center Barrett Jones who is a player that fans want to see, Travis Bond who has only been in the league for a season, plus rookies Mitchell Van Dyk and Demetrius Rhaney. Who will the Rams keep? Going to be interesting to see.