The Rams are at the midpoint of their season — and they have yet to play a game with the offensive line that coach Sean McVay projected before the season.
But they are inching closer.
Interior linemen Jonah Jackson and Steve Avila, sidelined since suffering injuries in the season opener against the Detroit Lions, are expected to play Monday night against the Miami Dolphins, McVay said Saturday.
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“It’s a start to building the foundation that you hoped to build during training camp,” McVay said.
Jackson and Avila had been on injured reserve because of shoulder and knee injuries, respectively. They returned to practice this week.
Joe Noteboom, who can play guard or tackle, also is set to play for the first time since suffering an ankle injury in the opener. Noteboom practiced last week, but did not play in the Rams’ 26-20 overtime victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
McVay declined to say what positions Jackson and Avila might play and whether they would start. He also declined to say whether Noteboom or Warren McClendon Jr. would start at right tackle in place of injured Rob Havenstein.
While it was advantageous for Jackson and Avila to get reps in practice, McVay acknowledged the challenge of building rapport in the middle of the season.
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“But they are guys that have played a lot of football,” McVay said, “and how quickly can we race to be able to get up to speed, get comfortable with one another? And we’ll see what that looks like as we evaluate it.”
It remains to be seen when the projected offensive line — left tackle Alaric Jackson, Avila at left guard, center Jonah Jackson, right guard Kevin Dotson and right tackle Rob Havenstein — plays together for the first time.
Alaric Jackson did not play the first two games because of a suspension for violating the NFL’s personal-conduct policy. When he returned, the line was in a shuffle because of injuries suffered in the opener.
Havenstein sat out the opener because of an ankle injury. He played the next seven games, but suffered another ankle injury against the Seahawks.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
