Rams Mailbag: Latest on Alaric Jackson, Dean Connors’ Roster Chances and More

The Los Angeles Rams are set to play their second preseason game against the New Orleans Saints on Saturday. With one preseason game out of the way, there is plenty to discuss, especially as the Rams get closer to Week 1. This week felt like a good time for another Rams mailbag. Let’s get into your questions!

Is Mcvay still letting the OC call plays or act as HC for preseason or is it a bit more different with him trying to evaluate Stetson and Simpson? - @RamsToddFather

For those who aren’t aware, over the past few seasons Sean McVay has allowed assistants to act as the head coach during the preseason. Aubrey Pleasant acted as the head coach last year in the game against the Los Angeles Chargers and McVay has done the same with other assistants as well.

Those opportunities have been beneficial as McVay’s assistants are often sought after for head coaching roles. However, that seemingly has changed this year to an extent. During the first preseason game against the Chiefs, that wasn’t the case. With that said, McVay did give offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase the opportunity to call plays and that will likely continue throughout the preseason.

What is the team's plan to address the offensive line depth? Any thoughts on the possibility of us picking up Taylor Decker? - @StretchyPizza/@OhioV1

When it comes to injuries, the Rams typically take a ‘next man up’ philosophy and trust those who they already have in the building. For better or worse, they trust the players they’ve signed and their ability to develop them. While the Rams could look to make an addition at tackle via trade, I do believe it’s unlikely, especially with a player like Decker.

That’s not to say that Decker wouldn’t be an improvement, because he absolutely would. The Rams are simply up against the salary cap, especially if Aaron Donald decides to return. Decker would want starting offensive tackle money and the Rams only have $15 million in cap space. It would be difficult for them to afford Donald and Decker. If the Rams are without Alaric Jackson, the expectation would be that they would turn to David Quessenberry or Keagen Trost when he gets healthy. The Rams have also signed experienced tackle depth with players such as Blake Hance and Bill Murray.

When is an Alaric Jackson suspension update supposed to come? - @LARamsSuperFan1

As the Rams get closer to Week 1, the potential suspensions of offensive tackle Alaric Jackson and wide receiver Puka Nacua continue to loom over them like a gray cloud. The NFL announced a handful of suspensions last week and it would be expected that others, such as a potential suspension for Jackson, could be announced soon.

Still, it’s worth noting that there is no deadline for the NFL. While it would be nice to know before Week 1, the NFL will make an announcement when they conclude their independent investigations. Jackson’s case is more straightforward given that his case was assigned to a pre-filing diversion program, which is an automatic breach of the Personal Conduct Policy. It’s likely we’ll know within the next week or two, but the NFL isn’t required to make a decision by a specific date.

Is There Enough Room on the Roster for Dean Connors? - @DiucaRobert/@Shecky64

Every year during the preseason, there are a handful of players who standout. Oftentimes, those players are somewhat overrated by fanbases. That’s not to say that Connors hasn’t been good or doesn’t deserve a roster spot. However, the Rams should be able to get him on the practice practice squad without another team poaching him.

The practice squad is probably the best bet for Connors. Coming into the preseason, Connors would have been competing with Jarquez Hunter for a roster spot. While Connors scored two touchdowns, Hunter didn’t necessarily play poorly. As much as Ronnie Rivers has become the Troy Reeder on offense, his spot on the roster seems safe as well.

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