While much of the attention on injuries last season went to the likes of Cooper Kupp, Aaron Donald and Matthew Stafford, the injuries to the offensive line also played a massive role in the Los Angeles Rams’ awful 2022 season. One of many who fell to injury and is looking to bounce back in 2023 is Joseph Noteboom.
Noteboom tore his Achilles in Week 6 last season and while he is fully recovered from that, has recently dealt with an upper body injury during training camp as well. But Noteboom insisted that this recent setback that kept him out of some joint practices was nothing more than a maintenance issue with the Rams being cautious, via Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic:
“It was something really small, kind of a maintenance thing,” he said. “They just wanted to be cautious and not make it a longer thing than it is. But I feel great, 100 percent now.”
Exactly what type of injury Noteboom suffered was kept under wraps which only further caused speculation, but regardless, the former third-round pick is back on the field, though he is at a different position. Noteboom is battling for the starting right guard spot and he is putting in the necessary work to make that switch:
“Anyone that has played (will) say switching sides isn’t easy,” he said. “That’s why I’m doing (those reps) over and over and over again every day. At this point, it feels comfortable now. At the end of the day it is just flipped. Same footwork and technique (as left guard), just flipped. Takes the body a little time to adjust, but I feel 100 percent comfortable at it now.”
It has been an up-and-down road for Noteboom with the Rams and some outside criticism has come his way in recent years, but for his part, his focus is only being great for those within the Rams locker room:
“I want to be a great player for this team, and for these coaches,” he said. “I have the utmost respect for Sean and all the coaches here. Matthew (Stafford), Cooper (Kupp) and AD (Aaron Donald). Just what they do, I want to be on that level and be the best I can be, for them and for this team — and take a step forward in that aspect.”
The franchise making a trade to bring in another guard in Kevin Dotson from the Pittsburgh Steelers will only bring further questions about Noteboom’s future. But he remains determined on contributing to this team and helping this line be as good as it can possibly be.
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