What we know about Rams’ internal options behind Alaric Jackson
CINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 27: Los Angeles Rams offensive tackle AJ Arcuri (61) warms up before the game against the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals on August 27, 2022, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesDetails continue to emerge about Alaric Jackson's recent legal troubles, a potential suspension, and the fallout for the Los Angeles Rams. Jackson is an important player for a team with Super Bowl or bust expectations. He was previously suspended for two games earlier in his career, and the NFL's punishment this time around could be more severe.
Rams fans clamored for a premium investment at the tackle position earlier in the offseason. LA was well positioned in the draft at 13th overall to improve their depth and potentially land a starter for the future. Instead they made the controversial decision to select quarterback Ty Simpson.
Will Los Angeles feel the pressure and make a move ahead of training camp? One potential avenue for adding depth has already been removed, as the Kansas City Chiefs traded Wanya Morris to the Atlanta Falcons in a late-round pick swap.
The Rams may believe they have sufficient replacements already in-house. Let's go over all we know about these options.
Option #1: Keagen TrostSean McVay simply doesn't put rookies on the field before they are ready or until he doesn't have another option. We've seen mid-round pick after mid-round pick use their first season as redshirt years. The plan initially was likely for Trost to do the same; however, he's as seasoned as draft picks can come and is already an older player.
After the draft I dove into the analytics surrounding Trost. Most view him as a right tackle because of where he played (exclusively) in his final season at Missouri. If you go back to his days at Wake Forest and Indiana State, there is at least proof of concept that he can play on the left side. In terms of frame he may be better suited for the right or inside. Need and desperation trumps hypotheticals every time.
Just got to the tape of Missouri RT Keagen Trost and I can't believe that people aren't talking about him more. His film is outstanding. Love his mean streak and movement skills in the run game + he went through the gauntlet of SEC rushers (Howell, Faulk, Crawford, Stewart,... pic.twitter.com/9nm9qei5or
- Jonah Tuls (@JonahTuls) March 13, 2026
Keagen Trost College Snap Counts table { width: 100%; max-width: 700px; border-collapse: collapse; margin: 20px 0; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; } th, td { padding: 12px; text-align: center; border: 1px solid #ddd; } th { background-color: #002244; color: white; } tr:nth-child(even) { background-color: #f9f9f9; } .year { font-weight: bold; } Keagen Trost College Snap Counts (LT vs RT)Trost also has the ability to play either tackle position. His time at Missouri was spent exclusively on the right. He alternated during his time at Wake Forest and Indiana State. The Rams alsoasserted post draft that Trost has the ability to play all five spotsalong the offensive line, although he played along the interior sparingly in college.
I think there are parallels to draw between Trost and the Rams' current left tackle in Alaric Jackson. Jackson also played nearly 3,000 snaps in four seasons at Iowa with strong production. The only difference is that Jackson played nearly exclusively at left tackle only.
Jackson was not heralded in the 2021 draft class and was not selected. It's rare for a former UDFA to become a multi-contract starter at the NFL level, but he defied the odds. Contributing to his lower draft stock was a 2019 knee injury, poor pre-draft athletic testing, and a lackluster Senior Bowl. Similar to Trost, Jackson had the production but teams were concerned how much better he could get as a professional.
At least for 2026 Trost provides experience and insurance behind Jackson and Warren McClendon. Both starters will likely need new contracts within the next year, and if Los Angeles is pleased with Trost's development they now have a cost-controlled option in house.
| Year | College | LT Snaps | RT Snaps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Missouri | 0 | 864 |
| 2024 | Wake Forest | 105 | 662 |
| 2023 | Indiana State | 431 | 0 |
| 2022 | Indiana State | 63 | 539 |
The Rams first signed David Quessenberry in May 2025. They re-signed him for the 2026 season. At the time he first joined the team, I wrote the following:
Quessenberry should provide short-term veteran leadership and potential long-term insurance behind Havenstein. He played both left and right tackle during his time in Minnesota, though the majority of his time as a starter for theTennessee Titansin 2021 came on the right side.
Quessenberry played just 18 snaps on offense last year in LA. 6 reps came at right tackle with the rest at right guard. He hasn't played left tackle since 2024 with the Minnesota Vikings, though his last time playing this position on a starting basis was 2020 with the Tennessee Titans.
David Quessenberry allowed just 1 pressure in his first start with the #Vikings on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/aruh6AhKIK
- VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) November 8, 2023
Although he's played sparingly in recent years, Quessenberry isn't a bad player. His career benchmark is better than that of Wanya Morris. He's simply buck average. That should be enough to get the Rams by short-term should Jackson miss games in the two to four range.
Option #3: AJ ArcuriAJ Arcuri was drafted by the Rams in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft. With a 6-7, 315 lbs frame, he has impressive length.
We haven't seen Arcuri on the field much. There has to be a reason why the Rams have kept him around this long, right?
He has one career start back in 2022. This was the Bryce Perkins game against the Kansas City Chiefs where the offense looked totally inept. Sean McVay was amidst his career crisis and handed play calling duties off to Liam Coen. Nothing worked for the offense that day and Arcuri finished with a PFF offensive grade of 48.4 (better in run vs pass).
I've spammed spin move all game... they can't stop it." -Aidan Hutchinson about the Rams O-Line. pic.twitter.com/TdOxTCD68U
- Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) September 11, 2024
Arcuri was thrust into the lineup during the 2024 season opener against the Detroit Lions. Jackson was suspended to start the year. Joseph Noteboom was injured in the second quarter, then Arcuri played 51 snaps in relief. It was a tough matchup against Aidan O'Connell and Arcuri finished with a PFF pass blocking grade of just 1.9. He fared well again in the run game at 55.8.
The only conclusion I can draw on Arcuri is that the Rams have seen enough to maintain that he has backup potential. Why else would they keep him around for five seasons? The bottom line is the team has better information at this point than the media or fans.