Is Alaric Jackson shaping up to be another extension miss by Les Snead at left tackle?

Will Alaric Jackson end up as another miss by the Rams and Les Snead?

Over the past couple of offseasons, the Los Angeles Rams have made it a point to invest in protecting their quarterback Matthew Stafford, In 2023, they drafted Steve Avila early in the second-round at guard and then later traded for Kevin Dotson. Just this offseason in free agency, the Rams brought back a familiar face by signing center Coleman Shelton.

However, the big move along the offensive line was extending left tackle Alaric Jackson to a three-year deal worth up to $57 million. Much can be said on whether or not the Rams should have re-signed Jackson. However, there is no doubt that he had earned it. After taking criticism for not investing heavily on the offensive line, the Jackson extension came after the Rams extended Kevin Dotson last offseason, making a similar investment.

When it comes to extending players, there is always some level of risk involved. With Dotson last year, it was that he only had the one season of production. In Jackson’s case, he had never played a full season. In 2022, he missed the final nine games due to blood clots and in 2023 he missed two games with a hamstring and for personal reasons. Last year, he was suspended for the first two games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

After signing his extension back in March, Jackson has been diagnosed with blood clots three months later. While there is some optimism that he could play this season, it’s very possible that he misses time. There may be an element of bad luck with Jackson’s blood clots, but at the same time, he did have a history. This isn’t something that occurred for the first time.

Jackson has been one of the best values at left tackle, starting as an undrafted free agent. Following his extension and ensuing blood clots, it’s fair to wonder if Jackson will get added to the list of failed contracts done by general manager Les Snead.

Looking at Snead’s history of handing out extensions, the record is less than ideal. There have certainly been hits such as Cooper Kupp, Rob Havenstein, and Aaron Donald. However, out of the 25 extensions that Snead has handed out, 12 of them didn’t see the end of their contract. That’s just over a 50 percent hit-rate. Players such as Todd Gurley, Brandin Cooks, and Joe Noteboom had previous injury concerns, but were given extensions anyway. Jackson falls into that same category.

There’s little doubt that players like Gurley and Jackson earned their extensions. However, these are players that the Rams should have their entire medical history and know whether or not they are a future risk. Gurley had knee injuries going back to Georgia, Cooks had a concussion history with the New England Patriots, and Jackson has previously dealt with blood clots. While there is certainly some bad luck involved, there is also an element of naivety.

Those also aren’t the only examples. Snead has more misses than hits at the left tackle position. He drafted a raw prospect in Greg Robinson with the second overall pick that’s turned out to be one of the biggest draft busts in franchise history. The Robinson pick came after signing Jake Long in 2012 as a free agent coming off of an injured back and torn bicep. While the Rams struck gold with Andrew Whitworth, Noteboom was given an extension after showing a history of injuries in 2019 when he was relied on as a starter.

It’s very possible that Jackson does play this season, but the timeline is still uncertain. Last season, Christian Barmore of the Patriots suffered blood clots in July. Barmore was activated from injured reserve in November and then placed back on injured reserve in December with “recurring symptoms.” There’s no guarantee that Jackson does play this season even if the Rams are optimistic.

The Rams are in a championship window and missing their starting left tackle puts a huge dent in those chances. There is certainly an element of bad luck, but at the same time, this is something that Jackson has dealt with in the past. The Rams turned a blind eye and should have had more of a contingency plan than signing DJ Humphries a month prior to training camp.

When the Rams extended Jackson in March, the belief was that he could anchor the left side of the offensive line through another playoff run. The hope was that he would provide the stability needed as the team pushed for one final Super Bowl with Matthew Stafford at quarterback. His extension reflected that confidence.

However, with his medical concerns resurfacing just months later, the Rams find themselves once again facing uncertainty at a critical spot. While Jackson’s deal was made with good reason, his history of health issues was not a mystery. Whether this becomes another cautionary tale in Les Snead’s extension track record will depend on how Jackson’s situation evolves in the months ahead.