7 dream extensions that will happen with latest Rams salary cap figures

V: This player's extension has to be a slam dunk

The truth is that left tackle Alaric Jackson performed well enough in 2023 to be considered the ipso facto starter at the same position for the team in 2024. Now the only challenge is to extend him. Some view the 2024 NFL Draft as an opportunity to select the franchise blind side of the future. That may still be the case, but the team cannot pass up the performance Jackson gave last season in hopes of doing better.

Jackson missed two games in 2023. But for all intents and purposes, he was a rookie left tackle las season, in so much that it was his first year of starting at the position. He played very well last year, and there is every reason to anticipate an even better season for 2024.

What I loved seeing from the left side of the offensive line last year is how well Jackson, LG Steve Avila, and C Coleman Shelton had each other's backs. Great NFL offensive lines are not five great players, but one great unit. These three would waste no time peeling off one block to help out a teammate. It got even better on running plays, as once the ball carrier broke free, Jackson took great joy in running downfield to pancake a linebacker or defensive back.

Jackson is an underestimated factor to the team's success in 2023, and is just as likely to play a critical role for the team in 2024 if given the chance. He has a mean streak that shows once the football is snapped, and he continues to play until the whistle blows to signify the play dead.

If the Rams are to reform this offensive line, Jackson's team-friendly price to start at left tackle has to be a key factor in the plan. There may not be any better value on the Rams' roster in 2024.

Likely extension terms: One-year $4.6 million (RFA Second-Round Qualifying Tender Offer)