Rams forgotten 5th-rounder just shook up depth chart with rip-roaring surge

The Los Angeles Rams need offensive linemen for the future. Don't expect the addition of veterans who fill immediate needs to be part of the team's long-term future. The future belongs to young contributors. And when the topic of the offensive line comes up, the future belongs to swing-tackle Warren McClendon Jr.

The team did not know what type of player they might have selected with the 174th overall pick in Round 5 of the 2023 NFL Draft. The hope was that the teammate of QB Stetson Bennett would bring some of the NCAA Championship mindset with him to the NFL. He was a steady, if not remarkable, offensive tackle who had a high IQ reputation marked by passion and toughness.

He was not an immediate starter. He saw limited action in his rookie season. But he was much more active last season, getting five starts as he became the swing tackle option in the face of teammate Joe Noteboom's untimely injury.

Rams Warren McClendon Jr. has already claimed a roster slot

While he struggled to see any playing time as a rookie, that was certainly not the case in 2024. In 331 offensive snaps, Pro Football Focus tagged him with two penalties and five quarterback sacks. Despite less-than-optimal numbers, he earned an impressive 69.8 run blocking grade and a marginally respectable 59.7 overall grade.

Keep in mind that he was bouncing back and forth as a backup offensive tackle, playing right tackle, then left tackle, then back to right tackle. That's a tall order for a player who was struggling to make the roster just one year prior.

But 2025 appears to be his year already. With uncertainty surrounding starting left tackle Alaric Jackson, Warren McClendon Jr. has been competing for a starting role in his absence with veteran offensive tackle DJ Humphries. Whether or not he wins the starting left tackle job, he is sitting out preseason games, a clear indication that he has already earned his roster spot.

While McClendon held the pole position for a meaningful offensive line role this season is no surprise, the fact that he was waived past preseason competition is a bit of an eyebrow raiser. He faced significant competition from veterans like Humphries and David Quessenberry. But he has earned his spot on the Rams roster for 2025 and is in the perfect position to offer an ideal fill-in should a starter be injured.

The Rams' veterans are aging. RT Rob Havenstein is 33 years old. Thankfully, McClendon is nearly 10 years his junior. And with the training camp he has assembled, he is almost certainly the next player in line for a future starting role with the team. As always, thanks for reading.

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