Rams shouldn’t panic after season-ending injury to Logan Bruss

When the Los Angeles Rams drafted offensive guard Logan Bruss in the third round of this past draft the team tagged him as a potential day one starter.

However, Bruss struggled mightily during his first two preseason games - which suggests he may not be as pro-ready as Les Snead and Sean McVay originally thought. The rookie was one of the Rams’ worst graded offensive linemen in terms of pass protection during the exhibition games, recording PFF pass blocking grades of 1.7 (Chargers) and 16.7 (Texans).

But now Bruss is expected to miss the entirety of the 2022 season after suffering a torn ACL and MCL during Friday night’s game against the Houston Texans. This effectively becomes a redshirt season for the rookie - an opportunity to prepare his body physically for the NFL and gaining comfort of being around the team for a year.

Los Angeles shouldn’t panic after losing Bruss for the season. Veteran Coleman Shelton grabbed the starting job at right guard from day one of training camp and never looked back, and the depth along the interior has been promising.

Despite the offensive line being dominated for the better part of two games, third-year guard Tremayne Anchrum as been a rare bright spot on the unit. He’s played all over the line so far in the preseason, recording 27 snaps at LT, 43 at LG, and 20 at RG (90 snaps total). As much as he’s been on the field, Anchrum has only allowed 4 total pressures in pass protection. He’s been even better in the run game, earning an accumulative PFF grade of 73.7 in that facet.

An opening at Bruss’ roster spot may also create opportunities for reserve linemen who were probably left on the outside looking in on the 53-man roster previously.

Entering training camp the expectation was that Shelton could back up Brian Allen at center, though that would require someone else shifting in to the first-team slot at right guard; however, Jeremiah Kolone has been a steady presence in the middle of the o-line so far - playing 110 snaps at center. Kolone is in his fourth year with the Rams, and LA could retain him as the primary backup to Allen.

Chandler Brewer is another reserve option at guard, though he’s only played LG so far in the preseason and seems to be slotted behind Anchrum on the depth chart. Brewer has been with the team since 2019 (playing primarily left tackle that year), but he opted out of the 2020 season as a high-risk individual. In 83 snaps at LG, Brewer has allowed only 2 total pressures in pass protection during the 2022 preseason to-date.

While the Rams had high expectations for Bruss in his first year, he was objectively not ready for first-string playing time on a Super Bowl-contending roster. That’s not to say that Bruss can’t develop into a starter for the Los Angeles offensive line in time, but clearly all of Anchrum, Kolone, and Brewer are playing at a higher level than the rookie.

The Rams shouldn’t panic after losing Bruss for the season, and they should have confidence in their reserves along the interior offensive line.

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