The Rams have already spent the offseason collecting headline names, but they still might not be done. Before September ends, Los Angeles could be pushed into making one more move, and this time it may have nothing to do with adding star power. It could be about survival up front.
The issue sits at left tackle. Alaric Jackson’s availability is still uncertain, with a suspension likely on the way, and rookie Keagen Trost is out on injured reserve after a hamstring injury. Trost was supposed to give the Rams swing-tackle depth, but now he has to sit out at least four games.
That leaves the current setup looking shaky. If Jackson is unavailable, veteran reserve David Quessenberry would likely start in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers. The Rams did give Quessenberry a look with the first-stringers in camp and preseason when Jackson missed practice to manage his blood clot condition, so the staff’s trust level was already pretty clear.
Even so, the situation gets thin fast. Trost’s injury makes it even harder to patch together a reliable plan, and if Jackson is suspended, Blake Hance would be a logical practice-squad elevation. But counting on Quessenberry and Hance, who combined for 107 offensive snaps last season, is a fragile answer.
Rams fans already saw a version of this problem late last year against the Falcons, and the results weren’t pretty. If the same thing starts to unravel against the 49ers, general manager Les Snead may have no real choice but to look elsewhere.
The trouble is that the market isn’t exactly overflowing with appealing tackles. Even names like Taylor Decker are still sitting there this late in the process, which says plenty about how limited the options are. And after signing Donald, the Rams probably don’t have the cap room to chase someone like Decker anyway.
Timing is another headache. Anyone brought in would need to learn the playbook fast enough to be ready almost immediately, and that’s far from ideal.
Still, if Jackson’s absence stretches long enough, Los Angeles might decide the risk is worth it. Even if the Rams get through Week 1, expecting Quessenberry and Hance to stand up to the fronts waiting in Weeks 3 and 4 against Denver and Philadelphia feels like a stretch.
A trade may make the most sense. The Rams have extra tight ends and defensive linemen, and moving a player like Davis Allen or Tyler Davis, plus some late-round future draft capital, could be enough to land help. Les Snead may have one more move tucked away.
In Other News...
Rams Hype Just Ran Into A Brutal Playoff Warning
The Rams have spent the offseason living with championship expectations, and Pete Prisco isnt backing away from that part of the conversation. The NFL analyst sees Los Angeles finishing with the NFCs top seed and earning a first-round bye, which fits the buzz around a roster that has drawn plenty of praise and even stronger Super Bowl support from the betting market.
But Priscos view turns sharp once the playoffs actually begin. Even with the appeal of recent additions like Myles Garrett and the return of Aaron Donald, he is skeptical the Rams will handle the pressure of those expectations, and he has them falling in their first postseason game to the Seahawks. Its a warning that lands hard for a team built to contend, because the regular-season ceiling may be high even if the postseason path still looks fragile. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Make Another Quick Draft Pick Decision Fans Will Notice
The Rams have already made another small but noticeable roster tweak, cutting defensive lineman Tim Keenan III from the practice squad to create room for edge rusher Jamie Sheriff. Keenan, a seventh-round draft pick, never made much of a mark during the preseason, and his quick exit is another reminder of how little margin there is at the back end of an NFL roster.
Sheriff arrives as developmental depth at a position the Rams continue to monitor, bringing a fresh look after spending time with the Seahawks. For a team that has been willing to turn over the bottom of the roster quickly, the move fits a familiar pattern, even if it leaves the larger question of how the Rams want to build out that edge group still hanging there. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Opener Just Got Tougher With Nick Bosa Trending This Way
The Rams trip to Australia for the season opener already carried enough unfamiliarity without having to factor in Nick Bosa, and the 49ers edge rusher is suddenly looking much more like a real part of the opener picture. Bosa returned to practice for the first time since Aug. 3 after dealing with tendinitis in his right knee, the same knee that previously went through ACL surgery, giving San Francisco a late but meaningful lift as the teams prepare to open in Melbourne.
Bosa is traveling with the 49ers and said he is cautiously optimistic about being ready for the game, which is exactly the kind of development the Rams would rather not have to monitor this close to kickoff. He also sounded settled into the unusual road trip ahead, talking about the recovery process and even looking forward to trying some local coffee and checking out nature exhibits, but for Los Angeles the bigger issue is simple: the opener just got a lot more complicated if Bosa keeps trending this way. [Read more 🡒]