As the Los Angeles Rams gear up for the 2025 NFL season, optimism surrounds a team that still boasts Matthew Stafford, Kyren Williams, and breakout stars like Puka Nacua and Jared Verse. But on the latest episode of the PFF NFL Podcast, analysts Trevor Sikkema and Dalton Wasserman made it clear: if the Rams want to return to legitimate Super Bowl contention, the offensive line — and specifically left tackle Alaric Jackson — must be a strength, not a liability.
This has become an even bigger question given the recent concerns over Jackson’s health — particularly the recurrence of blood clots that sidelined him for eight games in 2022 — have cast uncertainty over his availability. The team attempted to address this when signing veteran tackle DJ Humphries
According to reports, Jackson is expected to play in 2025. Still, with this being the second time he’s faced this health issue, the Rams are left hoping, not knowing. “If that news hadn’t come out, he wouldn’t be on this list,” Wasserman noted. “But now, I’d argue your best offensive lineman has a serious question mark.”
Los Angeles Rams’ Playoff Hopes Hinge on Alaric Jackson and the Offensive Line
Jackson, who signed a three-year deal this offseason, was praised as a stabilizing presence for a line that desperately needed consistency. “When he signed, it was a big-time move for them,” Sikkema said. “He keeps that offensive line really rock solid.” But
That uncertainty couldn’t come at a worse time. In 2024, the Rams posted the third-worst pass-blocking grade in the NFL. Stafford, who continues to perform at a high level when protected, saw his production plummet under pressure — with a passing grade in the 30s when hurried. “When Stafford is in a clean pocket, he’s still one of the best quarterbacks in football,” Sikkema emphasized. “But when he’s pressured, the offense breaks down fast.”
The Rams’ playoff hopes, in many ways, rest on that fragile balance. When the line held up last season, Stafford delivered. But when it didn’t — as seen in their late-season loss to the Eagles, where Jalen Carter and the Philly front overwhelmed the Rams — the offense crumbled.
Los Angeles has other areas of concern, particularly in the secondary and among their linebackers. But as Wasserman put it, “The timing of when Jackson gets back and how effective he can be could be the key to their entire season.”
Without stability up front, the Rams’ road back to January success may be blocked before it begins.
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