The Rams are evaluating their left tackle options with starter Alaric Jackson still limited in practice due to blood clots — an issue that surfaced in mid-June.
McVay said at the beginning of training camp in July that Jackson would participate in a limited capacity, including individual drills and “some of the jog-throughs.” “The actual physical stuff, he will not partake in right now,” McVay said. This could deal a big blow to the Rams’ O-line to open the season, especially as the team re-signed the former UDFA on a three-year, $57.75MM deal ($30MM guaranteed).
As a result, veteran signing D.J. Humphries and 2023 fifth-round Warren McClendon have been taking turns as the first-team left tackle during full-speed reps, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. McVay has praised both, as well as David Quessenberry, who has primarily been lining up at right tackle in practice but has past NFL experience on the blind side.
“I’ve been pleased with those three guys,” said McVay (via Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith). “I think D.J. has really played his best ball as of late, which has been cool to see.”
Humphries, a 10-year veteran, would make sense as an experienced short-term fill-in as the Rams await Jackson’s return to the field. An indication Humphries is the clubhouse leader for the Jackson LT stopgap role came when the Rams held him out of their preseason opener. This should be viewed as the Rams tipping their hand on their preferred swing option, per the Orange County Register’s Grosbard.
This represents a third chance for Humphries, the longtime Cardinals left tackle who became a cap casualty after a December 2023 ACL tear. After his rehab effort ended in-season last year, the Chiefs quickly signed him in hopes he could solve their LT problem. That did not happen, as Humphries suffered a hamstring injury in his Kansas City debut. Although Humphries returned for a Week 18 start in a game in which the No. 1-seeded Chiefs rested starters, he did not make another start of consequence — as K.C. took its chances with LG Joe Thuney at LT — last season. After it looked like Humphries would sign with the 49ers as their swing tackle, no deal transpired — and a Rams pledge emerged.
Humphries made 98 starts with the Cardinals from 2016-23. Injuries were an issue during most of the former first-rounder’s Arizona tenure; he missed 11 games in 2017, seven in 2018 and nine in 2022. A 2021 Pro Bowl nod and two Cardinals extensions occurred during that nine-year tenure as well.
A 2023 fifth-round pick, McClendon (24) is nearly eight years younger than Humphries. He also made five starts last season, seeing 279 right tackle snaps in place of Rob Havenstein. It seems, regardless of Jackson’s status, McClendon will be a backup to open Week 1 of this season as well. Though, Humphries’ injury history stands to make McClendon’s readiness quite important for the Rams to open the season.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.