THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Twenty-nine days ago, when former No. 2 overall pick Greg Robinson was benched for a game in his home state of Louisiana, it was sold by former head coach Jeff Fisher as nothing more than "a break." Then the 24-year-old left tackle was benched again, this time by interim coach John Fassel, for the Christmas Eve game against the San Francisco 49ers. And now, as this lost season winds down, Robinson's future with the Los Angeles Rams seems murkier than ever.

Greg Robinson started 35 consecutive games for the Rams at left tackle before being benched for Week 12. Jeff Curry/USA TODAY Sports

Fassel said during Monday's news conference that he would "anticipate Greg preparing to play as if he were the starter" for Sunday's season finale against the Arizona Cardinals, but that appears to be a function of starting right tackle Rob Havenstein being day-to-day with an ankle injury suffered in Saturday's 22-21 loss.

Robinson could start at left tackle, but that is no guarantee. He could be a backup at both tackle spots, with Rodger Saffold remaining at left tackle and either Havenstein or undrafted rookie Pace Murphy playing on the other side. And he could transition to guard, a spot to which many believe Robinson would be better suited in the long term.

"That’s been discussed, yes," Fassel said of playing Robinson at guard. "And I think the rest of the day will determine what our lineup will be. We have really until tonight, as a staff, to come up with our lineup and our game plan for tomorrow’s install. So that’s under consideration."

Transitioning from tackle to guard in one week is a drastic adjustment, especially for someone like Robinson, who had started 35 consecutive Rams games at left tackle before sitting out the Week 12 game against the New Orleans Saints. But the Rams can't continue to roll with Robinson on Jared Goff's blind side and might have already begun to look at other ways he can be effective, considering he is under contract through 2018.

The Rams knew Robinson would be a project coming out of an Auburn system that did not require much pass-blocking, but they fell in love with his upside. He began his NFL career on the bench, then started three games as a guard and moved to his natural spot of left tackle after an injury to Jake Long in Week 8 of his rookie season.

Since the start of 2015, Robinson leads the NFL with 31 total penalties. This season, Pro Football Focus ranks Robinson 67th among 74 qualified tackles.

Speaking after Saturday's game, Fassel said the decision to bench Robinson was merely a cause of trying "to get something going in the run game and to shore up some protection." Said Fassel: "We weren't using Greg as a scapegoat for any of the problems on the offensive line."

But the Rams might have already moved on from him at left tackle.