The Los Angeles Rams were able to bring back an integral piece of their offensive line in left tackle Andrew Whitworth this offseason.
It is no secret that the Rams have endured some significant turnover in free agency. Fortunately, they made sure to put an emphasis on keeping this group intact by re-signing Whitworth and interior lineman Austin Blythe.
There had been plenty of speculation regarding the 38-year-olds plans for retirement following a disappointing 2019 NFL season for Los Angeles. Fortunately, he seems to be confident that there is still plenty of gas left in the tank.
According to Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times, Whitworth acknowledged that the biggest question he faced was whether or not he was ready for the grind of preparing for another grueling season:
“For veteran players, it’s really more of, ‘Can you make it through an offseason of really building your body up and all of the training and really intensity it takes to get to the football season?’ ” he said.
Whitworth added that he feels an obligation to leave it all out there for the Rams:
“I see myself as part of this franchise and something I’ve poured myself into,” he said, “and I have a lot left to pour into.”
It is encouraging to see that Whitworth has embraced the challenge of helping this team get back on track after missing the playoffs. After all, he has already helped spark a resurgence upon his initial arrival in Los Angeles and his latest comments are indicative of his devotion to the franchise.
The Rams’ offensive line caught plenty of flak for their underwhelming performance during the 2019 campaign and as the anchor of this group, Whitworth was among those that were heavily criticized. He has since acknowledged that it was difficult maintaining their high level of play amidst all the changes that were made up front last offseason.
Of course, this was to be expected considering veteran starters had been replaced by unproven and inexperienced backups. Fortunately, it is safe to say that the Rams may have learned from their mistakes by making sure to keep Whitworth around despite all the significant roster changes that were made.
Whitworth is now set to help Los Angeles usher in a new era at SoFi Stadium in the 2020 NFL season. Although they may be coming off a disappointing year, expectations remain as high as ever.
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