The Rams have made offensive line a priority this off season. As reported by NBS sports, the team turned its attention to the Tackle position after receiving accolades for its signings of Guards Kevin Dotson and Jonah Jackson. Los Angeles did so by placing a second-round tender on Alaric Jackson.
Second-Round Tender
What is a second-round tender?
The NFL has published a handy glossary of terms. Context and definitions are provided in the glossary. The meaning of “second-round tender” can be gleaned from the glossary:
When [a] new league year begins, contracts from the previous season expire, the trading period opens and tenders for restricted free agents must be submitted, etc. This is when free agents can officially sign new contracts, and trades … can become official.
When the new league year commences, teams can place a tender on a restricted free agent (RFA). An RFA is “a player with three accrued seasons and an expired contract.”
RFAs are free to negotiate and sign with any team, but their original team can offer them one of various qualifying offers (“tenders”) that come with the right of first refusal and/or draft-pick compensation. If the tender is withdrawn by a team, the RFA becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Second-round tender: One-year contract worth the greater of (a) [$4.89] million or (b) 110 percent of the player’s prior-year base salary.
If the player’s original team decides not to match an offer sheet signed with another team, it is entitled to a [second]-round draft pick from the player’s new team.
FanNation Ram Digest Newsletter specifically explains how the second-round tender the Rams placed on Alaric Jackson works:
This allows Los Angeles “the right of first refusal,” essentially meaning that while Jackson can negotiate anywhere, the Rams will have the opportunity to match any offer he gets and bring him back. If another team pays up and Los Angeles feels better off looking elsewhere, it will receive a second-round pick for his services.
In other words, because the tender is at the second-round level, the Rams would get second-round draft pick if another team makes Jackson an offer which the Rams choose not to match. But, if Jackson stays with the Rams, “he will make $4.89 million.”
NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero tweeted about the second-round tender placed on Jackson:
The #Rams placed a second-round restricted tender on LT Alaric Jackson. It's worth $4.89 million.
Jackson is still free to negotiate with any team; if the Rams do not match a contract offer from another team, they are entitled to a second-round pick from his new team.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 12, 2024
Who Is Alaric Jackson?
Jackson was born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada in 1998. He went to high school in Detroit, Michigan. He was a basketball player who did not start playing football until his junior year in high school.
Jackson went to college at Iowa. As a redshirt freshman for the Hawkeyes, Jackson started all 12 regular season games, “earning first-team freshman All-America honors from the Football Writers Association of America.” In his senior year in 2020, Jackson was named second-team All-America.
He is 25 years old. He is 6’7″ and weighs 285 lbs.
The Rams signed Jackson as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2021. He played in four games in the 2021 season, and he started six games in the 2022 season.
Jackson started 15 games in the 2023 season. He gave up only one sack and was penalized just three times.
Rams Projected Starting Offensive Line in 2024
With the Rams now in position to retain Alaric Jackson at starting Left Tackle, here’s a look at their likely 2024 starting offensive line:
- Alaric Jackson – Left Tackle
- Jonah Jackson – Left Guard
- Steve Avila – Center
- Kevin Dotson – Right Guard
- Rob Havenstein – Right Tackle
By all accounts, this will be a formidable starting lineup. As previously reported in Gridiron Heroics, Los Angeles received high marks from Sporting News for signing Guard Jonah Jackson and re-signing Guard Kevin Dotson.
Rams’ interior offensive line will be up there with the best in football. Then you bring in a 6’7, 252lb TE who prioritizes run blocking and will have hair flowing out of his helmet…
Phew. Going to punch teams in the mouth at the line of scrimmage this year.
— Rams Bros. (@RamsBrothers) March 11, 2024
With Alaric Jackson locked down, another piece of the puzzle is in place.
