Barrett Jones Listed as St. Louis Rams’ Starting Center, Plus Other Notes from First Unofficial Depth Chart
With their preseason schedule opening on Friday against the Oakland Raiders, the St. Louis Rams released their first “unofficial” depth chart on Monday. This list isn’t necessarily indicative of anything that the Rams will actually do–you can get a better idea of those plans by measuring the number of plays that each player gets through the first few preseason games–but it does give just a small glimpse of how the few training camp practices that have taken place has affected the ideas of the Rams’ coaching staff. Here are a few key developments from the first depth chart:
- Third-year player Barrett Jones is listed as the Rams’ starting center on the initial depth chart. Head coach Jeff Fisher previously expressed a desire to sustain the competition at center throughout the preseason, so Jones should by no means get comfortable just yet, but it is notable that he’s already dethroned Tim Barnes, who was given the first shot to open camp. Demetrius Rhaney was listed as the second-stringer at center, with Barnes as the third option ahead of undrafted free agent David Wang.
- Defensive lineman Ethan Westbrooks, who was used mainly as a defensive end last season, has now bulked up a bit and is listed as Michael Brockers‘ backup at right defensive tackle. This could indicate that the Rams are prepared to carry just three true defensive tackles (Brockers, Nick Fairley, and Aaron Donald) on their 53-man roster if undrafted rookie Louis Trinca-Pasat or fringe veterans Doug Worthington and Marcus Forston aren’t up to the challenge. Westbrooks and backup ends William Hayes and Eugene Sims could occasionally give the tackles a breather by rushing from the interior on passing downs.
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- After seeming to be a major cap casualty candidate earlier this offseason when the Rams signed free agent Akeem Ayers, linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar is still listed as a first-team starter at right outside linebacker with Ayers as the backup. The listing of the right side ‘backer as a “starter” is a bit of a fallacy, anyway, since the Rams often run out of the nickel or with a sub package that features safety Mark Barron as a de facto linebacker, but nevertheless Ayers had been working ahead of Dunbar with the first team during previous training camp practices. It should be interesting to see how Ayers and Dunbar’s reps are divided during Friday’s preseason opener.
- Linebacker Marshall McFadden is listed as a second-stringer behind Alec Ogletree. While the 29-year-old was released last season and demoted to the practice squad, it’s easy to see a scenario where he could make the team. He collected four special teams tackles in just five games last year and could be a major asset to the Rams’ kicking game if he displays the same all-out attitude that he did in 2014. McFadden will probably need to beat out rookie seventh-rounder Bryce Hager and returning special-teamer Korey Toomer, who is currently injured.
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- After being listed as a safety for the entirety of his rookie season in 2014, defensive back Lamarcus Joyner is now grouped with the cornerbacks. It’s not a move that plays in his favor, however, as 2014 undrafted free agent Marcus Roberson is grouped with Trumaine Johnson as a secodn-teamer, while Joyner is listed with Brandon McGee as a third-stringer at cornerback. The Rams aren’t going to give up on Joyner anytime soon after trading up to get him in the second round of last year’s draft, but it certainly looks as if it will be difficult for him to get an opportunity now that two other players from his draft class, sixth-rounder and now-starter E.J. Gaines, along with Roberson, have passed him up.
- While it’s quite likely that the Rams will only carry five wide receivers on their initial 53-man roster, it’s nice to see that third-year player Emory Blake has progressed to the point where he’s listed on the two-deep depth chart. Blake joins Brian Quick and Chris Givens in being listed as a second-string receiver, so after spending two years on the Rams’ practice squad, maybe he can position himself to compete with Givens for a job or force himself on the active roster as a sixth receiver.