Rams LT Alaric Jackson to make training camp debut, on track for Week 1 after offseason bout with blood clots

Los Angeles Rams left tackle Alaric Jackson will practice fully for the first time in training camp next week after missing much of the summer with blood clots, coach Sean McVay said on Monday. McVay also indicated that Jackson is on track to be available for Week 1 against the Houston Texans, which is a positive development after the team was previously unsure if he would be able to play.

Jackson has been a limited participant in individual drills of late, per ESPN, but has yet to take part in team action.

"He's good," McVay said. "He's gonna partake in next Monday's practice, Wednesday and Thursday and then he'll just do the jog-through stuff on Friday. It's really cool. I think we've got a good plan in place. That is something … that I certainly never have dealt with before, so I think that demands flexibility. But we feel really good. I mean, he has put so much work in. I think he's handled it like a total stud. And I'm really happy for him that all things are pointing to him being ready to go and being able to manage this."

This is not the first time Jackson battled blood clots. He missed the final nine games of the 2022 season with the same issue. This time around, the offensive lineman informed the Rams in June of discomfort in his lower leg. The team had him undergo a scan, which revealed the blood clots.

Matthew Stafford's back issue not the only big injury question the Rams are dealing with right now

John Breech

Jackson, who joined the Rams in 2021 as an undrafted free agent, rose to the starting lineup in 2022 and has been a mainstay in the trenches ever since. He started 14 games last year after sitting the first two for a violation of the NFL's personal conduct policy and has 35 career starts under his belt.

With Jackson's return to practice and anticipated availability for Week 1, the Rams no longer have a hole to fill on the edge of the offensive line. They had been holding an open competition in training camp between Warren McClendon and newcomer D.J. Humphries and were also considering another offseason acquisition in David Quesenberry as an option to fill the left tackle spot.

That group will now be valuable in offering depth should Jackson face another bout with blood clots or if he is not fully ramped up in time to play the season opener at full strength. McClendon is a second-year option with experience mostly as a backup in Los Angeles, while Humphries and Quesenberry were veteran pickups this offseason with more starts in their careers.