[PARAM]

And of course, when a problem like this arises, there's going to be second guessing.

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

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.

Grisak also includes a list of signings/extensions at the bottom of the article

Sure some of the criticism is valid. But I can't help but SMH over this hindsight. The guy had blood clots 3 years ago. He was put on medication and they subsided. There was no reason to assume they'd return. The guy overcomes the clots, plays like a stud, earns the extension but now it's a bad decision? Let's see how much time he misses (if any) before we label this "another mistake".

Another question (not addressed in the article) is DJ Humphries. Many fans feel he's not that good. But I have to wonder. The guy started 80 games for Arizona from 2018-2022. Drafted in the first round (#24) they picked up his 5th year option and he subsequently earned two more contract extensions with the Cardinals, making the Pro Bowl in 2021. Are we judging him on how he looked vs Aaron Donald and the Rams? Furthermore, don't we consider our OL coach one of the up and coming stars in the NFL? Is it possible, he could make Humphries even better?

[rams74]

Another question (not addressed in the article) is DJ Humphries. Many fans feel he's not that good. But I have to wonder. The guy started 80 games for Arizona from 2018-2022. Drafted in the first round (#24) they picked up his 5th year option and he subsequently earned two more contract extensions with the Cardinals, making the Pro Bowl in 2021. Are we judging him on how he looked vs Aaron Donald and the Rams? Furthermore, don't we consider our OL coach one of the up and coming stars in the NFL? Is it possible, he could make Humphries even better?

The simple fact that the birds started him 80 times in years past is not something I'd necessarily hang my hat on.

Now if Ryan Wendell thinks he's got something, that would make me less suspicious, but do we know what Wendell really thinks of him? I don't.

[PARAM]

The simple fact that the birds started him 80 times in years past is not something I'd necessarily hang my hat on.

Now if Ryan Wendell thinks he's got something, that would make me less suspicious, but do we know what Wendell really thinks of him? I don't.

Which is why I added the OL coach point. I would think, Wendell had some input or was at least asked. But it's not like McVay & Co. don't know what a good O lineman looks like. It's not the 80 starts as much as the two extensions IMO. We can say, "the Cardinals suck, ergo, DJ Humpries sucks" but it's the NFL. I don't think a guy hangs around 9 years, with two extensions, in spite of sucking. Like I said, he's not OP or maybe even AJ but he's no bum either.

[/zn/]

Now if Ryan Wendell thinks he's got something, that would make me less suspicious, but do we know what Wendell really thinks of him? I don't.

As a general rule, no team in its right mind gives its OL coach players that coach doesn't like.

Of all the position coaches in an NFL offense, the OL coach has the most say over his position. An offensive minded head coach can say, I like this receiver, or RB, or qb.

But an OL coach is, in his own way, a mini-coordinator. He coaches 5 players who have to work together. He has a much closer sense of who can start in his unit and why, physically and mentally.

The offensive minded head coach can say, I want the OL to work this way. (Like when the Rams switched from outside zone to a combination of power and zone). That is, they can have a general vision. But unless that head coach had been an OL coach previously, he is not going to have the same detailed sense of which players fit that down to the last consideration.

And Ryan is good, we know that. Blood clots aside for a moment...how many teams over the years ended up extending a left OT who was originally a UDFA? That's about as common as finding a London Fletcher or a Kurt Warner.

You can bet that Ryan had at least some veto power over signing Humphries.

[Elvis]

This Blaine article, especially the headline, is classic. They put up something relatively negative and inflammatory, get pushback and then say, hey we're just asking questions. Blaine posted he finds interaction on X to be kind of negative so he's thinking of taking a break.

That's his model. Post something inflammatory because that's the sort of thing that gets more engagement. People are more like to engage with something that makes them mad than something that has them nodding in agreement.

And then he cries about it? Maybe that's part of his engagement model too.

Mostly i just ignore it but sometimes that's easier said than done.

As for AJ and Snead. Players get hurt, stuff happens, the average NFL career is what 3 years? Every extension, every signing, every draft pick is a risk. That's the business they're in and for the most part they're doing very well...

[rams74]

As a general rule, no team in its right mind gives its OL coach players that coach doesn't like.

Of all the position coaches in an NFL offense, the OL coach has the most say over his position. An offensive minded head coach can say, I like this receiver, or RB, or qb.

But an OL coach is, in his own way, a mini-coordinator. He coaches 5 players who have to work together. He has a much closer sense of who can start in his unit and why, physically and mentally.

The offensive minded head coach can say, I want the OL to work this way. (Like when the Rams switched from outside zone to a combination of power and zone). That is, they can have a general vision. But unless that head coach had been an OL coach previously, he is not going to have the same detailed sense of which players fit that down to the last consideration.

And Ryan is good, we know that. Blood clots aside for a moment...how many teams over the years ended up extending a left OT who was originally a UDFA? That's about as common as finding a London Fletcher or a Kurt Warner.

You can bet that Ryan had at least some veto power over signing Humphries.

Yes, certainly. But what we don't know is if Wendell really sees potential in Humphries, or if it was just a case of, "We're in a bind, and I don't see anybody available right now who thrills me, so this guy is as good as we can find right now. Maybe he'll be ok."

[Elvis]

Yes, certainly. But what we don't know is if Wendell really sees potential in Humphries, or if it was just a case of, "We're in a bind, and I don't see anybody available right now who thrills me, so this guy is as good as we can find right now. Maybe he'll be ok."

Right? And there's a long way to go between now and September. We'll see if Humphries and/or Quessenberry make the team, how they do in camp, etc...

[PARAM]

Right? And there's a long way to go between now and September. We'll see if Humphries and/or Quessenberry make the team, how they do in camp, etc...

True. Including AJ's availability.

What we do know is whomever is practicing at LT, they are going to be tested by Verse & Co. That isn't a bad thing.

[/zn/]

Yes, certainly. But what we don't know is if Wendell really sees potential in Humphries, or if it was just a case of, "We're in a bind, and I don't see anybody available right now who thrills me, so this guy is as good as we can find right now. Maybe he'll be ok."

I assume they had options and Ryan had a lot of input on who to sign.

Though to be fair, for all we know Humphries was just the least bad of a lot of bad options.

Which gets us to the next consideration. Maybe Ryan thinks he can get something out of him, and...maybe he's right about that.

....

[/zn/]

to be fair, for all we know Humphries was just the least bad of a lot of bad options.

I don't think that take is right. That is, that maybe he was just the least bad guy out there. Been reading around. He has a good track record. What got him cut from Arizona was injuries. Here are some bits on him from different places.

from https://theramswire.usatoday.com/story/ ... 183958007/
Humphries made his first and only Pro Bowl in 2021 but statistically, his best season was in 2020 when he allowed just three sacks in 695 pass-blocking snaps and earned a career-high 88.3 grade from PFF. He’s been fairly consistent throughout his time in the NFL, finishing all but one season with a grade of at least 64.5; the lone exception was in 2024 with the Chiefs when he played just 92 snaps.

from https://www.chiefs.com/news/five-things ... -humphries

Humphries was a Pro Bowler in 2021.

Offensive tackles – even the best ones – often don't garner the recognition they deserve due to the nature of their position, but Humphries was recognized for his efforts with a Pro Bowl nod in 2021.

He started 16 games that season, yielding 42 pressures across 661 pass-blocking snaps, the 11th-fewest among tackles with 600+ pass-blocking snaps.

from the wiki

Born: December 28, 1993 (age 31)
Height: 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight: 307 lb (139 kg)
Career information
College: Florida (2012–2014)
NFL draft: 2015: 1st round, 24th pick
...

On August 2, 2022, Humphries signed a three-year, $66.6 million contract extension with the Cardinals through the 2025 season.[19]

On November 26, 2022, Humphries was placed on injured reserve with a back injury.[20]

December 31st, 2023 Humphries tore his ACL in a victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. He would be placed on injured reserve later in the week. [21]

On March 13, 2024, Humphries was released by the Cardinals after nine seasons.[22]

Kansas City Chiefs

On November 25, 2024, Humphries signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.[23] During the regular season, he started at left tackle in Week 14 against the Los Angeles Chargers and in Week 18 versus the Denver Broncos and in the playoffs played special teams in the divisional round and the AFC Championship Game and was active but did not play in Super Bowl LIX.

Los Angeles Rams

On June 12, 2025, Humphries signed with the Los Angeles Rams, originally having a deal in April with the San Francisco 49ers but the deal fell through.[24]

from 2015 NFL Draft Scouting Report: D.J. Humphries -- https://walterfootball.com/scoutingrepo ... phries.php

Strengths:

Extremely athletic
Fast for an offensive lineman
Quick feet
Ability to kick slide
Adjusts to the inside
Capable run-blocker
Functional strength
Gets movement in the ground game
Fires to the second level
Ability to stay on his feet
Good size, length
Ability to sustain blocks
Mobility for zone scheme
Strength for man scheme
Lots of upside

Weaknesses:

Durability issues
Consistently injured
Inconsistent play at times
Prone to leg, knee injuries
Hand placement
Not as experienced as typical prospects
Raw
Can he maintain weight?

Summary:

Last December, if you told a die-hard Gators fan that D.J. Humphries would be a first-round pick after his junior year, they would be surprised because Humphries only played up to that draft grade in small stretches. During his three years at Florida, typically he was dealing with some sort of injuries. Humphries came to Florida as one of the top recruits in the nation, but he never was a difference-maker for the Gators.
...
Humphries has the physical skill set to be a starting left tackle in the NFL, and some feel that his raw talent is such that he could be a franchise left tackle. Humphries is very quick and athletic to negate speed rushers around the edge. He can get depth to take away the corner and is quick to adjust to inside moves. Humphries attacks defenders and gets his hands on them quickly. His hand placement does need to improve, and his technique can be somewhat raw. He isn’t entering the NFL with a lot of experience or development.

While Humphries played a lot of his college career in the 280s and 290s, he has functional strength to move defenders in the ground game. Florida had success running behind Humphries in 2014, and he can move defensive ends out of their gap with the quickness to fire to the second level and hit blocks on linebackers. Humphries’ speed and athleticism would make him a great fit in a zone-blocking scheme.

...

Player Comparison: D’Brickashaw Ferguson. Humphries’ game is similar to Ferguson. Both are cat quick for left tackles with the athleticism to handle speed rushers. They aren’t overpowering in the ground game, but they have functional strength to get movement at the point of attack. If Humphries stays healthy, I think he could be a tackle similar to Ferguson in the NFL.