As Rob Havenstein prepares for his 11th NFL season, the Los Angeles Rams’ starting right tackle has reached crucial offseason training milestones to ensure peak performance during training camp. Havenstein, coming off rehab for shoulders cleaned out during the offseason, has achieved his desired upper body strength goals and feels physically prepared to contribute fully to the Rams’ offensive line.
Arriving at Rams Training Camp presented by UNIFY Financial Credit Union, he shared,
“(Shoulders are doing) good, feel good,”
and added,
“Strong, healthy. Kind of hit my benchmark for what I wanted to do for upper body strength. Feel ready to go play football. I’ve never been the world’s biggest bencher anyway, so we’ll save that for the other guys. I just kind of go out and play football. But feeling pretty good.”
The Importance of Consistency and Physical Freshness in Training
Though Havenstein did not detail his specific weightlifting benchmarks, emphasizing his preference to avoid overpromising on bench press numbers, his confidence in being physically ready is clear. He noted,
“I don’t need to get specific, because like I said, I’m not the world’s biggest bencher, so it’s not going to wow anyone anyway.”
His focus remains on staying healthy and fresh to endure the full demands of the NFL season.
Mental preparation for the veteran remains largely unchanged, as he strives to balance maintaining experience with continued growth.
“Mentally, you try not to let it change too much. You’re still taking all the notes you can,”
he explained. On the physical side, he stressed the importance of conserving energy while growing stronger:
“It’s taking account of the body of work that I already have and trying to stay as fresh for as long as possible, but still continuing to grow and make sure I get all the work I need to make sure I feel good about playing ball.”
Leadership Role and Strong Offensive Line Continuity Boost Team Chemistry
Having served as a team captain last season, Havenstein now leads an offensive line unit blended with returning veterans and developing young talent. The return of center Coleman Shelton, with whom Havenstein has previous experience, adds to the tight-knit nature of the group.
Discussing the benefits of familiarity among teammates, Havenstein remarked,
“Knowing how those guys think and react to certain situations, just know that we can kind of clean things up in the meeting room a little faster, because we don’t have to learn how each other speak, and how each other kind of think about football, think about offensive line play, think about different blocks, different schemes.”
He continued,
“All that’s kind of experience, and we know what we’re doing. We can kind of all talk the same language a little faster, so hopefully get us back to all working together as a unit, and things like that.”
Looking Ahead: Consistency and Health Key to Rams’ Offensive Success
Havenstein’s commitment to meeting his offseason training goals and his leadership on a cohesive offensive line position him well for a productive 2024 season with the Rams. With his shoulders rehabilitated and his physical benchmarks achieved, he is expected to be at full strength for the first practice of training camp and capable of anchoring the line through the demanding season ahead.
His focus on mental steadiness and physical freshness will likely help extend his effectiveness well into the year, reinforcing the Rams’ offensive front. As the team looks to build upon previous campaigns, Havenstein’s experience and poise will be critical components of their success.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. What happened to Rob Havenstein?
A. Impact Havenstein was unable to play in the Rams’ last two regular season games because of a shoulder injury. He is expected to be ready for Monday’s game against the Vikings. He will take his usual position at right tackle and work to stop the pass-rushing efforts of Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel.