Joe Noteboom has a chance to prove himself as Rams’ current and future LT
The Los Angeles Rams have played exactly one game without Andrew Whitworth since he signed as a free agent in 2017, and it wasn’t because he was injured. It was when the Rams elected to rest their starters in Week 17 of the 2017 season, giving Whitworth the day off.
His durability has been remarkable, especially considering he’s 38 years old and still playing just about every single snap at left tackle. But with Whitworth now likely on the shelf for at least a few weeks, the Rams face the difficult reality of lining up without their stud left tackle blocking Jared Goff’s blindside.
It’s now Joe Noteboom’s turn to step up and prove his worth after a shaky start to his career in the NFL. Bouncing between backup tackle and starting guard has prepared Noteboom to play multiple spots, but it hasn’t exactly made him ready to line up for every snap as a starting left tackle.
He played 34 snaps in Whitworth’s place on Sunday, which was a career-high for him at left tackle. He’s expected to be the starter for as long as Whitworth is out, so his playing time is bound to increase exponentially.
The Rams have said repeatedly that Noteboom was drafted to potentially take Whitworth’s place whenever the veteran retires. Whitworth signed a three-year extension this offseason, but he could walk away from the NFL at any time – especially now that he has to come back from a devastating knee injury.
This is Noteboom’s first and best opportunity to prove he can be a professional left tackle – not only in the immediate future while Whitworth is out, but also in the future. The Rams are running out of time to decide what exactly Noteboom can be in the NFL, making this an important inflexion point in his career.
If he steps up and plays well, just as he did on Sunday against the Seahawks, the Rams can feel better about Whitworth potentially retiring. Ideally, Noteboom would step in as the starter in 2021 and earn a contract extension to keep him around for the long-term.
But there’s also a very real possibility that he struggles and proves to be nothing more than a decent swing tackle. He doesn’t seem to have the traits to be a top guard in the NFL after experiencing some trouble as a starter inside last year, but his best position is certainly offensive tackle.
If Noteboom can’t hold up in Whitworth’s absence, the Rams will be forced to once again evaluate the position. Is Bobby Evans an option? Can David Edwards play left tackle? Would Rob Havenstein flip sides?
It’s not easy to find a great left tackle – the Rams know this well – which is why this Whitworth-less stretch is so important for Noteboom. It could decide the path of his career beyond 2020 and his future with the Rams.
