Why won't the LA Rams just tag LT Alaric Jackson and be done with it?

Rams history of using their Franchise Tag

The LA Rams hesitate to use either the Franchise or Transitional Tags. Rams GM Les Snead has hinted in the past that he shies away from the use of a tag as an equivalent to negotiating a new player contract to that of an "In Case of Emergency, Break Glass" fire alarm placed in hallways. The Rams have used tags in the past until 2018. The history of the team's use of tags can be summed up in the data below:

• 1998 – DB (CB) Ryan McNeil
• 2000 – DL Kevin Carter
• 2003 through 2005 – OT Orlando Pace
• 2009 – DB (S) O.J. Atogwe
• 2016 through 2017: DB (CB) Trumaine Johnson
• 2018: – DB (S) LaMarcus Joyner

To Les Snead, tags are truly a last-ditch effort to halt a player's exodus if the team is passionate about re-signing that player. But that emergency obligation of a player for a one-year contract is incredibly pricey. Per OverTheCap.com, franchise tags for a quarterback cost over $41 million in 2025, while a tag for an offensive lineman is over $25 million.

Despite the LA Rams benefiting from an offseason that starts with available free salary cap space, the team cannot let those hefty sacks of cash fly out the door early in the offseason. While Alaric Jackson is a dependable, if not elite, performer for the team as a vital keystone position, laying out $25 million for 2025 is a terrible way to open up the 2025 offseason.

Keep in mind that the team quite frequently allows players to discover what the market will bear for their services by entering the NFL Free Agency market. If that market is not robust, the team is often willing to sign players at a discount. If the player is willing to give the Rams a home town discount (much like IOL Kevin Dotson did in 2024), the Rams are delighted to ink a contract quite quickly.

Alaric Jackson may not be willing to do so. After all, he was the starter for the past two seasons while his backup and teammate, Joe Noteboom, pulled in much larger paychecks. This is Jackson's first chance to discover what his market may be, and with his track record, you can expect multiple teams to bid for his services.

If OTC.com estimates are in the right ballpark, Jackson could pull in over $13 million per year with his next multi-year contract. Converting that annual contract value through OTC's currently projected awarded compensatory picks table, may result in the LA Rams receiving an awarded Round 5 compensatory pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

We all know that the LA Rams love comp picks.

What will the Rams do this offseason? I really don't know. But isn't that the fun of it all? The team is already hard at work running through hundreds of mock draft simulations to determine the quality and quantity of prospects likely to be on the draft board as the team steps up to the podium. While that may play a factor in the team's offseason strategy, the crux of extending Alaric Jackson will come down to Jackson's wishes.

Will he give a priority to signing with the team when the offer comes? Or will he be lured away by sacks of cash? Depending on his desire, I'm quite certain the Rams will follow suit with a winning strategy.

As always, thanks for reading.

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