Retirement can wait for Rams veteran Andrew Whitworth. The 38-year-old left tackle is expected to play in 2020, sources tell NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). 
Meanwhile, Whitworth is scheduled to reach free agency in March, so the Rams will have to hammer out a new deal with him if they want him back. Whitworth’s last pact paid him $33.75MM over the course of three years and his next/last contract won’t come cheap, either.
It’s become increasingly hard for teams to find quality help at the tackle position and Whitworth represents their best LT, despite his advanced age. Joseph Noteboom and Bobby Evans are on hand for support, but Whitworth is still the finest protector of the bunch.
As per usual, Whitworth turned in a perfect attendance record in 2019. He’s only missed three games since the 2013 season and hasn’t missed major time since his 10-game 2008 campaign with the Bengals. In January, Whitworth underwent ankle surgery, but he expects to be 100% healthy for the upcoming year.
The Rams’ offensive line struggled on the whole last year, but Whitworth was a bright spot for the unit. They’ll look to keep him in the fold for 2020 and uphold the pocket for Jared Goff.