In the wake of the news that Los Angeles Rams left tackle Alaric Jackson was arrested on a domestic violence charge, the team has a looming roster issue, as Jackson is the anchor of the offensive line. Jackson was already suspended by the NFL during the 2024 season for violating its personal conduct policy, missing the first two games of the year, so if Jackson is suspended again, it could be for six games this time around.
At this time of uncertainty, it is time for the Rams to put their trust in Keagen Trost and Warren McClendon Jr. The rookie Trost and right tackle McClendon are the future for this offensive line and for a team that’s trying to balance the aspirations of the present, while also managing the pieces built for the future, the only way for them to learn is to play. For a team that clearly wants to compete with Matthew Stafford and Ty Simpson, they’ll need consistency on the offensive line. Here’s why Trost and McClendon are the future.
The Rams already went with the veteran option last season, once McClendon took over for an injured Rob Havenstein. When Jackson had to miss the Rams’ contest in Atlanta, D.J. Humphries went in and the Falcons were all over Stafford – all night long. Humphries got the start over David Quessenberry and right now, Quessenberry and Trost are the team’s backup tackles.
McClendon is deserving of an extension and I project he’ll be a top-10 to 15 tackle in the NFL for the next four years. He was excellent last season and while he’s an asset at right tackle, McClendon can also play on the left-hand side. McClendon took reps at left tackle during training camp while Jackson dealt with blood clots and performed well.
Trost played right tackle at Missouri and was arguably the best offensive tackle in football last season. At the very least, he was one of the best. He’s also 25 years old. He started college in 2019. There isn’t a lot of physical growth that Trost can do that would warrant him staying off the field and there’s no point in slowly bringing someone up when they’ll be 28 by the time their rookie contract expires.
Trost was amazing at right tackle, and while he could play on the left, the Rams shouldn’t overload the rookie, especially in a Sean McVay offense. The Rams need to know if McClendon is worth paying and if Trost could start next season, as the team could lose Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, and Kevin Dotson to free agency.
Sometimes, it’s trial by fire and there is no guarantee Trost will get to play with these guys in the future. The team has moved on from players without issue because everyone is ingrained within the same culture, and any potential absence for Jackson could be a way for the Rams to learn more about both Trost and McClendon.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams should go with Trost and McClendon if Jackson is suspended
