WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – With how the previous two seasons went for Logan Bruss, becoming a serviceable spot starter for the Rams' offensive line seemed highly unlikely.
"The last couple of years definitely didn't go the way I expected," Bruss told theRams.com. "There was a lot of days during that time where being back in a position like this just felt almost impossible, to be honest with you. This kind of thing, I knew it wasn't gonna happen overnight, but just chipping away every day, getting a little bit better and better, I just waited until the day where I finally felt like myself again."
Bruss has rebounded from those challenging circumstances to serve as Los Angeles' starting left guard with Steve Avila and Joe Noteboom sidelined. From OTAs in the spring through training camp and the preseason, he made enough strides to not only make the 53, but be entrusted in his current role as the Rams navigate injuries along their offensive line.
"I think just putting the work in," McVay said of Bruss' growth. "It's because he's been consistent. I think he's taken coaching really well from (offensive line coach) Ryan Wendell and from (assistant offensive line coach) Zak Kromer. I think the work works. And you can see a guy that has had a bunch of different experiences, but practices hard, got a bunch of experience in the preseason that I thought he was able to improve on. And then when he's gotten his opportunity over the last couple weeks, he's done well."
During the preseason of his 2022 rookie year, Bruss tore his ACL and MCL, ending his season. Once healthy the following offseason, he spoke during 2023 training camp about his excitement to be back on the field competing again, only to not make the Rams' initial 53-man roster and instead spend entirety of his second season on L.A.'s practice squad.
The uncertainty produced by those circumstances was something he was well aware of. Rams offensive lineman and team captain Rob Havenstein said Bruss was intentional about the way he structured his offseason training. For Bruss, though, it went beyond just those workouts.
"As the last year went on, I just felt like I wasn't where I wanted to be, where I could be, just as a player," Bruss told theRams.com. "And I felt like I had to make a change. I feel like you only get so many chances at this, and I felt like I might not have too many chances left. It's not something I want to take lightly. I just wanted to go to a spot... I was still having some problems with my knee. I wanted to make sure I had that squared away, I was feeling like myself again. Just able to get really good rehab, really good workouts. Was able to work with some other o-line guys, was able to work with a personal chef, just get all that stuff squared away. So I just think it was a really good two months where I was pretty much working out and relaxing and getting ready for the next day for about two months. And I just thought that helped me feel really good again, and just get a lot of my confidence back."
Bruss noticed the difference in training camp – or more specifically, the feeling of finally feeling like himself again where he knew he could play at this level and get an opportunity to play with his teammates and be depended on.
"It's just a feeling like... I feel like you can't fake it, you know?" Bruss said, when asked if there was a particular moment he felt that difference. "You feel like you're the best player on the field, and it doesn't matter who they put in front of you. That's something I felt like when I was playing at my best, I had that feeling, and I hadn't felt that in a long time, but I just felt like it was a day where I just finally felt that again. Like I said, you can't just, like, fake that. For me it's something that just comes when I'm playing at my best, and I felt like I had a really good day at practice, and I finally felt that again. It's something that I hadn't felt in such a long time, so I kind of felt like I was back to myself again."
Sunday's game against the Packers will mark the minimum fourth game required for Avila and Noteboom to miss, so the Rams will once again lean on Bruss at left guard for at least one game.
At one point, it seemed improbable that he would be slated to make three consecutive starts as a depth player asked to take on a larger role in wake of injuries. Bruss' journey is certainly not one any player envisions for the first two years of their NFL career, especially for a former third-round pick who was the highest selection in his draft class.
It's a testament to his resilience during a challenging time in his young NFL career.
The journey isn't over.
"I've seen it cave in a lot of guys, a lot of different guys," Havenstein said, referring to players being on the practice squad after being on the 53-man roster. "For him to have that mental stability, to have that work ethic, to put himself in the position to fight for a spot on the 53, to a spot on the (gameday) 48, to a spot when a couple of guys go down, to be like, 'hey, listen, we think you've done enough to start for us, and continue to start.' Because it's one thing about the NFL, nothing's set in stone. You can have a job one day and then not have a job the next day. So it's something you earn every day.
"I think he's done a really nice job up to this point. Obviously, there's still going to be a lot of growth, but that's something he's focused on. I think he's taking the appropriate steps to get there."
