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Brian Folkerts should invest in a U-Haul truck.
He has bounced a LOT around since signing with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent after the 2012 draft. Since signing with the Saints, Folkerts spent time with the San Jose SabreCats in the Arena Football League as a FB before transitioning back to the NFL with the Carolina Panthers.
He stuck with the Panthers for nearly 2 seasons prior to being released last season. He then spent time on the San Francisco 49ers practice squad before the Rams picked him up. Then the Rams relocated to Los Angeles and Folkerts was moving again.
He hopes to put an end to that trend this season.
Roster Battle
As mentioned in the Eric Kush roster preview, Tim Barnes - for better or worse - seems to be locked in as the starter. That leaves Folkerts competing with Kush for the backup center spot. But that's not the only competition he will have.
Demetrius Rhaney has oftentimes been praised by Jeff Fisher, but hasn't delivered much on the field. Rhaney is now officially listed as a guard and Folkerts has the ability to swing over to guard if needed. With injury concerns along the OL (Rodger Saffold, Jamon Brown, Andrew Donnal, Darrell Williams) flexibility is essential. Folkerts provides some of that which could give him a leg up over Rhaney.
Expectations
I mean, a former UDFA who has been shuffled around in his career is going to struggle to get traction, but he walks into a good situation in Los Angeles. He needs to leverage the situation in his favor and show his versatility. That could be the key to earning a roster spot.
Chances of Making Final Roster (5/10)
This is going to largely come down to what Fisher and OL Coach Paul Boudreau value. If they want a more refined center, Kush will have a leg up. But if they want versatility Folkerts will have more value. Given the need for better play at center, I think Kush has a slight edge as of today.