With each passing day, the plot thickens around the future of Los Angeles Rams offensive tackle Alaric Jackson. The news around his arrest with charges of felony battery just gets worse. TMZ Sports is reporting that the alleged victim involved is pregnant, a horrible optic and an aggravating factor in the NFL Personal Conduct Policy concerning these types of charges.
This could end up being a very serious matter and not simply a standard 45 day suspension. Worst case scenario would be the Rams washing their hands of Jackson, unlikely, but within the realm of possibility. A crushing blow to Rams Super Bowl aspirations.
Here are excerpts from the official NFL policy with important passages in bold and below that, some possible player options to fill what is sure to be a minimum six week hole. TST has already covered Kansas City Chiefs tackle Wanya Morris, both pro and con.
Section I Expectations and Standards of Conduct
It is not enough simply to avoid being found guilty of a crime in a court of law. We are all held to a
higher standard and must conduct ourselves in a way that is responsible, promotes the values of the NFL,
and is lawful.
Players convicted of a crime or subject to a disposition of a criminal proceeding (as defined in this
Policy) are subject to discipline. But even if the conduct does not result in a criminal conviction, players found to have engaged in any of the following conduct will be subject to discipline. Prohibited conduct includes but is not limited to the following:
▪Actual or threatened physical violence against another person, including dating violence,
domestic violence, child abuse, and other forms of family violence;
▪Assault and/or battery, including sexual assault or other sex offenses…”
Section V Discipline
“…Depending on the nature of the violation and the player’s record, discipline may be a fine, a suspension for a fixed or an indefinite period of time, a combination of the two, or banishment from the league with an opportunity to reapply…With regard to violations of the Policy that involve: (i) criminal assault or battery (felony); (ii) domestic violence, dating violence, child abuse and other forms of family violence; or (iii) sexual assault involving physical force or committed against someone incapable of giving consent, a first violation will subject the violator to a baseline suspension without pay of six games, with possible upward or downward adjustments based on any aggravating or mitigating factors. The presence of possible aggravating factors may warrant a longer suspension. Possible aggravating factors include, but are not limited to, a prior violation of the Policy, similar misconduct before joining the NFL, violence involving a weapon, choking, repeated striking, or when an act is committed against a particularly vulnerable person, such as a child, a pregnant woman, or an elderly person, or where the act is committed in the presence of a child. Possible mitigating factors include prompt acceptance of responsibility and cooperation with any league investigation, voluntary engagement with appropriate clinical resources and demonstrated compliance with any recommended program of counseling or other therapeutic intervention, and voluntary restitution with the victim. A second violation will result in permanent banishment from the NFL…”
Reading this, it difficult to come up with any other conclusion than Jackson will miss a minimum of six games. While there are some outlets for mitigating that number, they could be neutralized by the aggravating factors of her pregnancy and Jackson’s previous run-in with the Personal Conduct Policy. The NFL sat him out the first two games of 2024 for an alleged harassment incident that was dismissed.
What are the Rams options?
The baseline would appear to support enforcement of a minimum six game suspension to be served in 2026. In Jackson’s past indiscretion (2024), there was no formal police complaint, rather the allegations went to the NFL directly. That incident reportedly happened in May of ‘24 and the suspension was levied on the first two games of that season.
Even the minimum six games leaves a big hole at left tackle and the problem puts Sean McVay in a bind. Should he lean on offensive line coach Ryan Wendell to coach up in-house candidates or put pressure on General Manager Les Snead and L.A.’s Director of Pro Personnel Matt Waugh to ferret out a left tackle from one of the 31 other teams?
Keagan Trost - Rd3 2026
Many pundits think that Trost is best suited to work inside at guard because of his relatively shorter arms, but he had excellent film at right tackle last year against top-end SEC competition. Very powerful upper body with stellar grip strength, needs to work consistently extending and latching on in pass protection. Experienced at inside/mid zone run game and has a mauler play style. Not an elite mover, but has adequate move skills and footwork to make all the blocks. While left tackle might not be the optimum position for Trost, he might be the best option with his skills, toughness, experience in the zone run game.
AJ Arcuri - Rd7 2022
Arcuri enters his fifth year in L.A., but has been mainly a practice squad player. He’s played in 10 games with one start. I rewatched that game from 2022 and saw a rather heavy-footed blocker who was was beaten both by outside speed and cross over moves inside. His run blocking was more screening off rather than driving. Arcuri does not appear to be a serious candidate. Although he has the requisite mass and length, he was drafted because of his versatility as swing depth.
David Quessenberry - Rd6 2013 by Houston Texans
Quessenberry will turn 36 in camp and is quite the journeyman with previous stops in Houston, Tennessee, Buffalo, and Minnesota. Last year, he had 18 offensive and 73 special teams snaps in L.A. He was a pending free agent and the Rams locked him up in February. Primarily a career backup, Quessenberry’s snaps have been trending down since his lone season as a a starter, 2021. Great length and provides versatility. Watched a few games from his 2021 starting season with all his work coming on the right side. He’s exactly as advertised, a veteran who can step into many roles on the line, but doesn’t play with any real distinction.
Bryce Henderson - undrafted 2026
Possesses great size and length. Will likely need much more seasoning and technique work before being ready for the pro game. Played in college-centric offense where he rotated between left and right tackle, interestingly from snap to snap during games. Plays high and is more of a catcher than deliverer when it comes to contact. Movement skills are in tune with playing on the right side. The learning curve will be too steep for Henderson to step in as a rookie.
Free agency
Taylor Decker
Decker could be a smart choice as a bridge, if the Rams are tiring of Alaric Jacksons dating shenanigans. He’a a true left tackle with the requisite size/length and has consistently played about 1000 snaps per season over many years. How much he would cost is under a cloud. Decker was due a $15mil base salary (plus numerous bonuses) for 2026, the Detroit Lions reportedly wanted him to take a substantial pay cut. He balked, asking instead to be released and the Lions acquiesced . While there are reports of teams interest, they are not backing up a truck load of money for an aging offensive lineman. He reportedly would like to play for a winner.
Cam Robinson
Another veteran that fits into the bridge category. He’ll play as a 31 year-old in 2026 and has outstanding size and length. Robinson has bounced around through four different teams over the last two seasons, but still started 30 of 34 regular season games. He’s been plagued with penalties over his career, can that be coached out of a player? Rewatched him Week 1 of 2025, Robinson started for the Houston Texans vs. the Rams. He looked smooth in pass blocking, active in wide zone run game, but didn’t play with drive/power you would expect from such a large human.
Jonah Williams
Only 28 with 74 NFL starts, injuries have punctuated Williams career. The former Round 1 pick missed all of 2019, six games in 2020, 11 games in 2024, and eight games in 2025. In the middle of all that misery, 2021 through 2023, he was a functional starter who played both left and right tackle. Hard to make a strong case for a player with his history of shoulder and knee injuries, but if given a clean bill of health, he might be a better risk than an aging David Quessenberry.
Asim Richards from New Orleans Saints
I liked Richards as a prospect coming out of North Carolina, he has adequate size/length and brings guard versatility as well. He’s played in 36 games with five starts in his three seasons. Only 26, he’s a mauling run blocker and moves pretty well. Good fit for the Rams
Joshua Ezeudu from New York Giants
Another North Carolina kid, selected early Round 3 in 2022. His size, length, workout numbers, and versatility are similar to his teammate Asim Richards. Ezeudu has appeared in 33 games with 10 starts. He was stashed all of 2025 on the Injured Reserve List with a training camp calf injury and was upset when kept there even after it healed early in the season.
Walker Little from Jacksonville Jaguars
27 year-old swing tackle that was a Round 2 pick in 2021. He signed a three-year $45mil second contract with the Jags but hasn’t lived up to expectations. For his five-year career, Little has played in 70 games with 39 starts. Rewatched him vs. the Rams in Week 7 of 2025 and he had a pretty good game. Handled the Rams edges well, particularly in the run game. A bit inconsistent in pass pro because he doesn’t react or recover well when faced with a counter move.
Mekhi Becton- free agent
After struggling with inconsistency and injuries for his first three seasons, the monolith went to Philadelphia and showed some of the promise that is expected from a Round 1 draftee. Of course, that Philly success was at guard, not left tackle. Even so, it shows Becton has some game. He won’t command big money and might be able to be had on a “show me” contract. But he’s got to be in shape, he’ll struggle at 369 lb., even at 6’7”.
Evan Neal - trade from New York Giants
Recently signed a one-year league minimum contract by the new regime in place. The old one did not apply his fifth-year option. Quite a fall from grace for the former Top 10 draft pick. The football Giants tried him at both tackle and guard. He’s got plus size and solid length, could Ryan Wendell (Ramsoffensive line coach) coax out the talent that made him a top prospect?
None of the options seem that good
According to overthecap.com, the Rams have about $19mil in cap space. The above options would be well under that. In theory, there could be another Les Snead blockbuster move, but the Jackson situation is not a secret and possible trading partners would be at their capitalistic best trying to shear the Rams. Waiting for roster cuts to poach a prospect doesn’t seem like a sound plan of attack.
Should the Rams make a move to add a player or hope that the current roster holds the answer. What’s that old cliche? “Hope is not a strategy.”