WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – Going into his fourth NFL season, Rams offensive lineman Steve Avila is eligible for a contract extension. He's hoping to get one, but his focus during the offseason has been on improving his game and nurturing relationships with teammates and coaches.
"I feel like everybody that's up for extension is hoping to get one," Avila said. "That's definitely something I wish could happen. I try my best to stay the same every single year. I know for me, I've always improved every single year I've played football. I feel like I owe it all to the team to be the best version of myself. I feel like all that stuff will come when it does."
Avila went home to Texas in the spring, where he recently bought a house that is sparsely furnished, to train and be near his family. He started attending training and practices at his alma mater, TCU, and enjoyed his time with the team more than he expected to.
"I don't know what it is but I love sharing information and stuff I've learned over the years," Avila said. "I was sitting out there at practice with them. I was in there watching film with them and coaching guys. I called (Rams offensive line coach Ryan Wendell) and I'm like, 'Hey, why am I excited to go to practice tomorrow? Is this my life? Am I going to be a coach?'"
That's the trajectory Wendell took to coaching, but it should be a while before the 26-year-old Avila has to plan his post-playing career.
There has been external speculation that the Rams may add to the offensive room in the draft, and Avila will welcome any new players with open arms. He said the Rams are able to develop offensive linemen as well as any team in the league, evidenced by their many undrafted players and late-round draft picks at the position that contribute.
"It's not a secret to know that we are all in this year," Avila said.
The void left by recently retired offensive lineman Rob Havenstein is vast, both as a player and a leader. So, if more linemen can help them achieve the ultimate goal, Avila will be happy to have them.
In the offensive line meeting room, Havenstein would give pluses and minuses for silly things. For example, Justin Dedich got a minus one for a "wack" ringtone, and someone else got plus 1,000,000 for something Avila didn't even remember. There's no point keeping track, he said, but it's just a fun exercise to bond the room throughout each year.
David Quessenberry was appointed the new point-giver as the eldest offensive lineman on the team. It's yet to be seen whether a young draft pick will pick up Havenstein's mantle on the field, or if fourth-year player Warren McClendon Jr. will succeed the longtime Ram, as he did last season when Havenstein dealt with injuries. Head coach Sean McVay has indicated that McClendon has earned the right to start after his performance in 2025.
Either way, keeping quarterback Matthew Stafford clean during his 18th professional season will be priority No. 1 for the offensive line, and it's a responsibility they all take very seriously, despite the meeting room jokes. When Stafford announced he would be returning for another season during his Associated Press MVP award speech, he also talked about how it's a team award. That kind of leadership and loyalty intensifies Avila's desire to reach the mountaintop and exemplifies the Rams' culture.
"Helping Matthew Stafford get his second ring, I don't even think about myself getting it first," Avila said. "I contributed to helping someone as great as him get a second Super Bowl ring. I feel like a lot of guys feel like that. That's what being a team's about. You look at the guy next to you, it's like, that's who I'm doing it for."
