Rams may have one more urgent move in store before September is over

Trent McDuffie. Jaylen Watson. Myles Garrett. Aaron Donald. The Los Angeles Rams have made a seemingly impossible number of big-name additions this offseason. 

Well, don't rule out one more semi-splash before the month is through. Specifically, the Rams may have no choice but to acquire another offensive tackle depending on how things shake out. 

The availability of left tackle Alaric Jackson remains in question with a suspension likely coming. Rookie Keagen Trost, who was supposed to provide swing-tackle bench depth, is on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. He'll have to miss at least four games.

As the roster stands now, the Rams will likely start veteran reserve David Quessenberry at Jackson's place Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers. There are a hundred and one ways that could go very, very wrong.

Rams may need emergency upgrade if Jackson is suspended

Quessenberry had a solid training camp and preseason. When Jackson missed practice to manage his blood clot condition, the Rams promoted Quessenberry, not Trost, with the first-stringers. It was already clear who they trusted. 

Trost's injury complicates matters nonetheless. If Jackson is suspended and Quessenberry starts, Blake Hance is a decent bet to be elevated from the practice squad. Relying on Quessenberry and Hance, who combined for 107 offensive snaps last season, isn't exactly an inspiring gameplan. 

Rams fans already got a glimpse of life without Jackson late last season against the Falcons. Not good. If it proves problematic against the 49ers, which it very well might, general manager Les Snead may be effectively forced to pursue other options. 

Who? Good question. The free-agent tackle market is not the most appetizing of menus. It's telling that none of the remaining options, even prominent names like Taylor Decker, have signed elsewhere at this late date.

The market could thin out even further after Week 1. After signing Donald, the Rams probably don't have the cap space to pursue someone like Decker, anyway. 

On top of the talent deficit, whoever the Rams brought in would have to speed-read the playbook in order to suit up in time for the next game. That's a definite disadvantage, and hardly ideal. 

Still, depending on how long any potential Jackson ban extends, the Horns might be happy to gamble on an upgrade. Even if LA survives Week 1, it feels naive to expect Quessenberry plus Hance to hold up against vicious defensive fronts in Weeks 3 and 4 against Denver and Philadelphia. 

A trade could be the most viable path forward. The Rams have a surplus of tight ends and defensive linemen. Flipping a Davis Allen (TE) or Tyler Davis (DT), along with some late-round future draft capital, could do the trick. Maybe general manager Les Snead has one more up his sleeve.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow