After the cap casualty of Tim Barnes, the Rams are in need of a strong presence at center. John Sullivan could soon take over that role.

After signing Andrew Whitworth to protect Jared Goff’s blindside for the next three years, Los Angeles still needs a little more to round out the offensive line.

With the release of Barnes and the recent Whitworth signing, there’s a clear move to ship in more experienced players that can hop into the system of Sean McVay without much turnover.

That’s at least the feeling given after bringing in John Sullivan, who played for McVay last season, for a visit on Monday.

The Rams, still in need of a starting center, brought John Sullivan in for a visit on Monday. More on him here … https://t.co/rJLcgj6pZX — Alden Gonzalez (@Alden_Gonzalez) March 21, 2017

Between 2009 and 14, Sullivan started 93 of 96 games with the Minnesota Vikings. He was on the verge of Pro Bowl status before a 2015 injury sidelined him and the Vikings favored Joe Berger.

Sullivan was then sent to the Washington as a backup, where he learned then-offensive coordinator McVay’s playbook.

The addition of Sullivan should turn the Rams’ line from a liability into an asset. When healthy, Sullivan’s offenses typically had a spike in production.

The two names to watch now: C John Sullivan and C Nick Mangold. Sullivan was the C in McVays offense last year. Sullivan more likely. #Rams pic.twitter.com/kZaMg7LG0e — The Mob Squad (@MobSquadRams) March 16, 2017

In his first season as the starter in 2009 — his second year in the league — the Vikings turned into a top five offense led by Brett Favre. That season, he was sacked just six percent of the time compared to nearly nine percent the year prior without many other adjustments up front.

Similarly, the 2000-yard campaign from Adrian Peterson in 2012 also came running through Sullivan’s lanes. He was graded as one of the top centers that year by Pro Football Focus, earning a grade of 86.3. The year before, he operated even better with a grade if 90.7.

That was Sullivan’s true breakout year as he was given a five-year, $25 million extension before the end of the season.

Related PFF ranks Todd Gurley as player who will benefit most from free agency

That’s great news for Todd Gurley hoping for a bounce back season. Goff, meanwhile, would also feel all the more comfortable.

However, all of this should come with an asterisk as Sullivan has missed the last two seasons with a bum back. As the Rams Wire previously noted after the cap casualty of Barnes, being injured at 31 years old isn’t a good omen.

But if the Rams’ staff clears him of that medical concern, sweeping in with a short contract would be a good boost for a much-maligned offensive line. He could play well under new offensive line coach Aaron Kromer, especially if they draft a young talent to learn under his tutelage.