Top Rams players from the 2022 season, No. 8: Rob Havenstein

Jan 26, 2023 - 3:03 PM

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The 2022 Los Angeles Rams season featured a lot of changing parts. Franchise cornerstone Andrew Whitworth retired after the Super Bowl. 2021 mid-season trade acquisition Von Miller went east and joined the Buffalo Bills. Robert Woods was traded to the Tennessee Titans. And Odell Beckham Jr went unsigned as he recovered from an ACL tear. From Week 1, the Rams started losing starters to injuries. This forced new names into more prominent roles.

In continuing the countdown list of the 2022 Los Angeles Rams top 15 individual performers, let’s take a quick look first at the current list.

#15 - Van Jefferson, WR

#14 - Tutu Atwell, WR

#13 - Matthew Stafford, QB

#12 - Ernest Jones, ILB

#11 - Michael Hoecht, EDGE

#10 - Tyler Higbee, TE

#9 - Decobie Durant, CB

As we reach the midway point of the top 15 countdown, the next selection goes to the longest tenured Ram on the offense…

#8 - Rob Havenstein, RT

Heading into 2022, Havenstein officially took the reins from Andrew Whitworth in being the leader and tutor for the Rams offensive line. Unfortunately, things were downright terrible. Havenstein was the only lineman to play all 17 games, while Joe Noteboom, Tremayne Anchrum, David Edwards, AJ Jackson, Brian Allen, and Logan Bruss found their way on the season-ending IR list. Even Coleman Shelton and Chandler Brewer spent extended time on the short-term IR.

For Havenstein personally, it was an up and down year. The right tackle started off very average through the course of the first half of the season. As the other starters missed games, Havenstein’s production dipped. However, as Sean McVay evolved the run game, Havenstein saw his efficiency improve. He was a huge catalyst to Cam Akers strong finish to the season and the emergence of Kyren Williams.

There was a low point for Havenstein, which was in Week 14 vs. Las Vegas. Maxx Crosby of the Raiders abused Havenstein throughout the game, beating him multiple times for sacks and pressures on Baker Mayfield. Even though it was not reported until a few weeks later, I wonder if that is when Havenstein’s knee injury originally started…

Havenstein’s best two games were in Week 8 versus the San Francisco 49ers and Week 16 versus the Denver Broncos. Against the 49ers, Havenstein posted an 88.5 PFF grade. He did not allow any sacks and only two pressures against a strong defense featuring Nick Bosa. Against the Broncos, Havenstein posted an 80.8 PFF grade, allowing zero pressures all game on Baker Mayfield.

Across 1,019 snaps, Havenstein posted an overall PFF grade of 73.2 with eight penalties and six sacks allowed. It was not his strongest year, but he was still one of the better offensive performers in 2022.