Los Angeles Rams left tackle has transformed from an undrafted free agent to a dependable starter, logging 29 starts over the past two seasons. Now, the former Iowa Hawkeye enters free agency at a time when quality offensive linemen are in short supply.
“He wrapped up the 2024 season playing on a $4.9 million restricted tender, positioning himself for a well-deserved pay raise in his first trip to the open market,” Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti wrote. “The 26-year-old is projected to land a three-year, $48 million contract based on our system.”
“The former undrafted free agent out of Iowa has established himself well over the past few seasons, protecting Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford’s blindside and delivering a career-best performance in 2024 at the perfect time,” PFF.com noted in January. Jackson enters free agency after playing on a one-year, $4.9 million deal in 2024.
While Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti projects Jackson to land a three-year, $48 million contract, other projections are more ambitious. PFF forecasts Jackson signing a four-year, $58 million deal with $37.8 million guaranteed.
Rams LT Alaric Jackson Due for Significant Raise in Free Agency
The bidding war for Alaric Jackson’s services could become too steep for the Rams to afford.
“There are mixed opinions on Alaric Jackson among personnel executives I’ve spoken with. Some love him, some don’t,” CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco wrote on February 14. “But when a starting left tackle hits the open market, he’s going to draw interest. Being just 26 years old should help him secure a solid contract.”
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler also speculated that Jackson could command a deal in free agency that the Rams may be unwilling to match.
“Jackson might have priced himself out of Los Angeles after proving to be a reliable starting tackle with upside,” Fowler wrote in January. “He’s known within the Rams organization as a hard worker, and with more consistency, he has the potential to become a top-15 to top-20 left tackle.”
Fowler also mentioned that if Jackson departs, the Rams could pursue Minnesota Vikings free agent Cam Robinson as his replacement.
“Cam Robinson may have played his way into a contract exceeding $20 million per year, with Garett Bolles’ four-year, $82 million deal with Denver serving as a comparable benchmark,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote. “The Rams and Chiefs are among the teams that could be in the market for left tackle help.”
Fowler also noted that Robinson could re-sign with the Minnesota Vikings, potentially leaving the Rams scrambling for options. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Dan Graziano suggested Los Angeles might consider a short-term deal to keep Jackson.
“Jackson played on a $4.89 million restricted free agent tender this season, and if he’s seeking top-tier left tackle money, the Rams may struggle to re-sign him before free agency begins in March,” Graziano wrote on February 9. “If he’s a high enough priority, the franchise tag remains an option.”
Over The Cap projects the franchise tag for an offensive lineman in 2025 to be $25.1 million.
Rams OL Deemed ‘Biggest Offseason Priority’
Alaric Jackson, who served as a reserve on the Rams’ Super Bowl-winning team in 2021 during his rookie season, has become a key piece of the offensive line in recent years.
However, Jackson’s future is just one part of a larger puzzle for the Rams along their offensive front — a unit ESPN labeled the team’s “biggest offseason priority.”
“Biggest offseason priority: Figure out the future of the offensive line,” ESPN wrote in January. “[Right tackle] Rob Havenstein has one non-guaranteed year left on his contract, and left tackle Alaric Jackson is a free agent. Jonah Jackson, who signed a three-year deal this offseason, lost his job to rookie sixth-round center Beaux Limmer.” The Rams’ approach to reshaping their offensive line could hinge on the future of quarterback Matthew Stafford.