As the Los Angeles Rams training camp progressed, one familiar figure stood out—not for his stature or highlight plays, but for his voice. Back at center after a year in Chicago, Coleman Shelton was again calling protections, identifying blitzers, and bringing calm to a Los Angeles Rams offensive line that unraveled without him late last season.
“It’s always great working with Coleman,” said veteran right guard Kevin Dotson. “He’s like the smartest center I’ve ever worked with. He’s talking a lot. He tells you everything that you need to know, and he makes the game easier.”
Dotson’s sentiment is echoed by nearly every Rams coach and teammate who’s worked with Shelton. And in 2025, his return might be the single most important move Los Angeles made—because it addresses the very issue that ended their 2024 playoff run.
A Return to Communication and Command At Rams Training Camp
Get your Puka-Flex T-Shirt Here
In last season’s NFC Divisional Round loss to the Eagles, a missed protection check between rookie center Beaux Limmer and Dotson led to Jalen Carter blowing up a critical fourth-quarter drive—and, with it, the Rams’ season. Afterward, Sean McVay and GM Les Snead made it clear: they needed a communicator in the middle.
“Coleman’s command, the communication—that’s just such an important part,” McVay explained. “That rapport between the center and quarterback, and how that echoes from inside out… You hear our guards communicating more now.”
It’s that cascading effect, from Shelton to the guards and out to the tackles, that gives the Rams confidence in a unit returning all five starters from their 2023 resurgence: Alaric Jackson, Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, Kevin Dotson, and Rob Havenstein.
Stability Is Chemistry Along The Rams Offensive Line
For Havenstein, the team’s elder statesman, Shelton’s return feels like muscle memory.
“I love Coleman Shelton,” Havenstein said. “He’s played a lot of years, different positions, and he’s really intentional about what he does. He’s one of my good friends, and it’s great to have him back.”
That continuity—having played next to Shelton and Dotson—is more than sentiment. It’s practical.
“When we hit the ground running, it’s just that,” Havenstein said. “We don’t have to learn how each other speaks and thinks about football. We speak the same language. It helps us clean things up in the meeting room and work faster as a unit.”
That rapport matters. Though the Rams allowed just 28 sacks in 2024 (fifth fewest), Stafford was hit more than all but two quarterbacks—63 times, including multiple rib shots that limited his late-season arm strength.
Can Coleman Shelton Regain Form?
There’s no denying that Shelton’s year with the Bears was uneven. His pass protection regressed, and he struggled to generate consistent push in the run game. But Rams coaches remain optimistic that a return to McVay’s system—and to teammates who trust him—can help unlock his best self.
“He picked up right where he left off,” McVay said of Shelton’s spring. “He’s a stud and he represents everything we’re looking for.”
McVay is also clear-eyed about the future. Beaux Limmer is still in the pipeline. “I think for him to be able to see how Coleman runs the show will only make him better,” McVay said.
Rebuilding the Run Game
The communication upgrades up front may also be the key to fixing the Rams’ surprisingly stagnant run game. While LA ranked sixth in rushing success rate last season, they finished last in explosive run rate. Just 1.8% of their carries went for 15+ yards. The culprit? A lack of push up front.
Kyren Williams saw his yards before contact dip from 3.0 in 2023 to just 2.2 in 2024, despite topping 1,000 rushing yards for the second straight year. He wasn’t getting the clean looks he once did.
Shelton can help here too. His sharp pre-snap reads and chemistry with Dotson and Avila are vital to sealing off interior lanes and reestablishing the double-teams that sprung so many of Williams’ big runs two seasons ago.
Depth Still a Concern
The offensive line room isn’t without its risks. Jackson is recovering from another bout with blood clots. Havenstein had offseason shoulder surgery. The swing tackle depth is shaky, though D.J. Humphries provides insurance. And while Limmer has potential, he’s still learning.
But there’s reason for optimism. The Rams aren’t patching things together like they did post-Andrew Whitworth. They’re building with cohesion and intention.
The Bigger Picture
It’s easy to focus on flashier headlines—Stafford’s age, Puka Nacua’s breakout, Davante Adams’ arrival—but the Rams’ success hinges on trench stability. If the offensive line holds up, everything else works. Shelton, despite questions about his peak, might be the fulcrum of that effort.
As McVay summed up: “He’s the one who sets the tone. And when the tone’s right, we all play better.”
In a year where Stafford’s health, the run game’s consistency, and playoff expectations all converge, the Rams may have found their most important addition not in free agency or the draft—but in a familiar voice, returned to the center of it all.
Subscribe to LAFB Network’s Los Angeles Rams YouTube Channel