Steve Avila turned out to be everything the Rams hoped he would in 2023 after they selected him in the second round of the draft. He not only started all 18 games, including the playoffs, but he played every single offensive snap at left guard.
Despite having so much success as a rookie last year, the Rams are tasking Avila with a huge move. He’s switching from guard to center, which is by no means an easy transition for any player to make – let alone one entering his second NFL season.
Jonah Jackson is the reason Avila is changing positions after he signed a three-year deal worth $51 million in free agency to be the Rams’ left guard. Jackson has gotten a front-row seat to Avila’s transition and he’s been impressed by the former TCU lineman’s move.
“That is a big transition. At guard, it’s definitely more demanding physically, but mentally, the pressure’s off. I mean, you just sit there and wait for the guy in the middle to make the call,” Jackson said. “So moving to center, you have to break down a defense like that, understand IDs and rotations and everything. And I think he’s coming along great, especially for a second-year guy. This is kind of a fast flip for him. He probably thought he was going to play guard until free agency and everything happened. But he’s doing incredible. He’s on it. He’s lightning fast with his calls. He’s a damn good player.”
Avila has much more responsibility now as a center as opposed to being a guard, and he’ll need to work closely with Matthew Stafford in order to set protections, ID the Mike linebackers and identify blitzers.
Jackson says Avila is doing great in all of those areas, which has also made his own job easier.
“Yeah, I mean, I’m there, too, just in case, but we haven’t had to do that,” Jackson said. “He’s been on top of it. We follow where he wants to go.”
As for how good the interior of the offensive line will be in 2024, Jackson says everyone will just have to wait and see.
“You’ll see it come Week 1. That’s all I got to say.”