The Los Angeles Rams are heading into an absolutely critical offseason in which they are trying to bolster their chances of contending for a Super Bowl while also focusing on the future.
It’s a delicate balancing act of managing two timelines simultaneously, and it’s certainly not an easy task for general manager Les Snead.
To make matters worse, the Rams will be seeing some key departures this offseason. We already know they will be trading wide receiver Cooper Kupp, but they may also lose breakout offensive tackle Alaric Jackson to free agency.
The Rams have a decent amount of cap room, but they may not have enough to re-sign Jackson—who will command a hefty price tag—while still improving the rest of the roster significantly.
As a result, Los Angeles may have to allow Jackson to walk and find his replacement in the NFL Draft, which is why ESPN’s Field Yates has the Rams selecting Oregon Ducks offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. in the first round.
“The Rams will be in the market for at least one starting offensive tackle this offseason (Alaric Jackson is a free agent), and this would be good value on a player I have as a fringe top-20 prospect,” Yates wrote. “Conerly gave up a total of two sacks in his three years at Oregon and had one of his best games against Penn State’s [Abdul] Carter in the Big Ten championship. He’s a controlled and disciplined mover who has plenty of size and length to start from day one.”
Conerly is widely viewed as one of the best tackles in this class, so it would definitely make sense for Los Angeles to take him at No. 26 if it loses Jackson to free agency next month.
Of course, the Rams have plenty of other needs. They will absolutely need to add more weapons with Kupp on the verge of being dealt and Demarcus Robinson and Tutu Atwell both hitting the open market. Plus, they will need to bring in a tight end.
Not only that, but Los Angeles must address the cornerback position, which proved to be a major problem for the Rams in 2024.
That’s where finding a balance between free agency and the draft will be key for the club.