Already Down 1, Rams Could Start Season Without Both Top Offensive Tackles

On Friday afternoon it was reported that Los Angeles Rams starting left tackle Alaric Jackson would be suspended for violating the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy. The team has deferred further comment on the situation until after their final preseason game against the Houston Texans this Saturday, per The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue .

Jackson will effectively serve a two-game suspension. As Ian Rapport put it in a post to X.com, he will be eligible for reinstatement on September 16 following the Rams’ Week 2 game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Rams LT Suspended, Will Miss Two Weeks

This comes after a rocky training camp for the Rams revamped and expensive offensive line. Three of the presumptive starting five, including Jackson, went down with injury. Head coach Sean McVay provided in his post-practice press conference that Jonah Jackson would be ‘getting back to work’ next week.

While that doesn’t guarantee he will be ready for the Detroit Lions in just over two weeks, it is promising that he will return to practice.

Where McVay has given even less to go on is right tackle Rob Havenstein, who has been out due to an ankle injury. The last time McVay updated his status, he said he was week to week and that announcement came on August 3rd. In some cases, no news is good news, but that is rarely the case with injury.

In many ways, the Rams season hinges on the play of the offensive line. They invested heavily there to ensure Matthew Stafford isn’t abused in the pocket and that the running game hums like it did during the team’s stretch run in the back half of 2023.

With all the missed practice, there are questions about the continuity on an already shuffled line, as Jonah Jackson is new to the team and Steve Avila plays center for the first time in his pro career.

Joe Noteboom will become the starting left tackle while Alaric Jackson is suspended. Noteboom started last year as right guard, before being replaced by Kevin Dotson. Later he filled in when Havenstein missed time with a calf and groin injury.

If Havenstein does miss time, Warren McClendon will see his second start in his short career.

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