​While he’s not completely out of the woods, Los Angeles Rams starting left tackle received some welcome news earlier this week. The veteran offensive lineman will not face criminal charges in connection with the case stemming from his arrest for suspicion of domestic violence in early June. NBC Los Angeles reported that the L.A. City Attorney’s Office will not file criminal charges in the case, though they aren’t closing the case file entirely yet. Jackson now has other paths to move forward besides being charged, which can include options such as attending a class or performing community service, among other outcomes.
This represents the first step for Jackson in moving past this latest incident, but he and his team aren’t totally in the clear yet. As we know, the NFL does not rely on the criminal justice system to determine its own disciplinary actions. The league has demonstrated repeatedly that criminal charges aren’t required for the commissioner’s office to discipline a player under the personal conduct policy. That means Jackson remains in a gray area with the league, especially since he already served a two-game suspension for violating the personal conduct policy in 2024 and faced another alleged domestic incident last November. It’s not hard to imagine Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL potentially imposing punishment again for another highly publicized incident.
With this in mind, the Rams still don’t have complete clarity about their left tackle position. It’s encouraging that Jackson, entering his sixth year in the league (all with the Rams), will not be facing felony charges, but given the possibility of a suspension, there remains a real chance that L.A. will need to find a temporary replacement at left tackle for several weeks.
Unsurprisingly, the free-agent market for left tackles is thin in mid-July. The Rams aren’t in a dire cap situation, carrying just under $19 million in available cap space, according to OverTheCap. That figure does not factor in the yet-to-be-signed rookie deal for first-round pick Ty Simpson, but even after reserving a few million for him, Los Angeles still has some flexibility.
The bigger issue is the quality of players still unsigned at the position, especially for a scenario requiring a starter for multiple weeks. As discussed here at TST last month, former Detroit Lions standout Taylor Decker remains unsigned, though he is expected to demand a high price and carries health concerns. D.J. Humphries is also unsigned; he would be affordable and has familiarity with the Rams’ system after appearing in eight games for them in 2025, but he has not been a league-average starter in several years. Beyond these options, the free-agent market becomes increasingly sparse.
Internally, the Rams do have a few potential paths to cover for Jackson if he misses time, though none offer perfect long‑term guarantees. A combination of stepping up from within the roster, a shift in personnel, or targeted signings could be deployed to bridge any gap. Regardless, the team will be weighing risks and cost against the need for continuity at a critical position, while also monitoring the evolving situation with the league and any potential discipline that could affect Jackson’s availability.