What the Return of Their Offensive Tackle Can Mean for the Rams

As the Rams prepare to host the Houston Texans in Week One for the start of the 2025 season, left tackle Alaric Jackson prepares to practice with the team for the first time this offseason. Jackson saw complications with blood clots earlier this summer, which prevented him from practicing with the team throughout training camp and the preseason. This was not an entirely new development for Jackson, who was forced to miss the second half of the 2022 season due to the initial diagnosis of blood clots. Blood clots are a health issue that goes beyond just football, with the potential to be life-threatening should Jackson choose to continue football activities or overexert himself. 

Due to the severity of what could go wrong, the Rams were cautious with Alaric Jackson, and it was uncertain whether Jackson would be ready to start the season. There was even speculation over whether Jackson would end up on the injury reserve with a designation to return to start the season. However, the Rams chose to keep Jackson on the 53-man roster and announced that they expect Jackson to be a participant in practice next week. Sean McVay explained that he expects Jackson to practice Monday and, if things go well, to be a full participant in practice Wednesday and Thursday before Friday’s walkthrough in preparation for Sunday’s game. This announcement comes after medical tests that presumably brought good news for Jackson’s health and ability to play without health risks. 

Assuming that Alaric Jackson can be a full participant in practice, this would allow the Rams to have their entire starting five on their offensive line for the opening kickoff. Jackson has been a staple of the Rams’ offense, with 29 regular-season starts since the blood clots in 2022. Having him inserted into the lineup will be pivotal in protecting Matthew Stafford and keeping Kyren Williams and the run game churning. The Rams have the potential to have an elite offense, but a lot of it will ride on the health of Stafford, who recently returned from an offseason injury concern. Stafford’s presence is the center of the Rams’ hopes this season, and keeping him protected is of the utmost priority. Without Jackson, the Rams would have had to rely on veteran D.J. Humphries, who recently started for the Cardinals, as well as other depth pieces such as David Quessenberry, another veteran tackle. While not a terrible replacement, Jackson is a massive upgrade, especially as a piece that the Rams just invested in with a contract extension in February. With Jackson in the lineup, the Rams can have a strong opening to the season, something that Rams fans are desperately hoping for in contrast to the slow starts of the past few seasons.