Los Angeles Rams Starting Center to Miss Time

The Los Angeles Rams continue to feel the ramifications of their disastrous regular-season opener against the Buffalo Bills. The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue reports the team will likely lose starting center Brian Allen for two to four weeks following a knee procedure:

Rams center Brian Allen has to have a cleanout procedure on his knee and is out 2-4 weeks. Coleman Shelton will move to center, and Tremayne Anchrum will move to guard.
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) September 9, 2022

Allen played 100% of the offensive snaps in yesterday's loss, so his injury comes as a bit of a surprise. Maybe it explains some of the team's struggles; the Rams offensive line allowed a brutal 7 sacks and paved the way for a mere 2.89 yards per rush in last night's defeat.

Allen started 20 games for last year's Super Bowl Champion Rams, earning an impressive 80.2 grade from Pro Football Focus. Initially taken 111th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, Allen signed a three-year, $18 million extension with the Rams following his rookie contract, but lack of availability has proven a persistent problem; the center missed seven games in 2019 and another 16 in 2020. Tremayne Anchrum will join the starting lineup with Coleman Shelton taking over pivot duties, but with a mere three career starts between them, the Rams are likely looking at a serious downgrade.

The Rams play the Atlanta Falcons next week in Los Angeles, followed by road trips to division rivals the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers, before finally returning home for a matchup with the Dallas Cowboys. Should Allen miss all four games, the Rams could potentially find themselves in a major hole early in the season.