When Jonah Jackson finalized his three-year, $51 million deal this offseason, the expectation was that he would be the missing link in an already promising Rams offensive line. The plan was to move Steve Avila to center, playing Jackson at his natural position.
Fast forward to the end of the regular season and Jackson has found himself on the sidelines. Avila ended up returning to guard, Beaux Limmer became the starting center and Kevin Dotson is playing at an All-Pro level at right guard. So what do you do with Jackson?
While having depth on the offensive line is a necessity – a lesson the Rams have learned time and time again – depth pieces do not cost $51 million. Along with the price tag comes an expectation of playing time for the player and while Jackson has yet to publicly comment on the situation, it’s clear he didn’t move his entire family just for the money.
Speaking of the money, Jackson has a $14.6 million cap hit in 2025. The Rams do have enough space to absorb the hit and based on the structure of the contract, it opened the door for Jackson to be released before 2026. The question to ask both parties is about how to handle next year.
If there is no role for Jackson as a starter in 2025, would he be OK being a backup? Considering he’ll be 28 this offseason, a big year could set him up for another sizable contract. Do the Rams care about the potential $3.3 million in cap space that releasing or trading Jackson would create? Could he be a crucial piece in trade talks for another player?
These are all questions that need to be answered. The issue is that the proper way to depart from the player is to trade Jackson for draft picks. The problem is that the modern market will only offer the Rams a Day 3 pick at best.
Personally, I’d love to keep him. Depth is a requirement for a championship but if he wants playing time, the Jets do need a guard of his talent. Perhaps Jackson could help finalize a package that brings Garrett Wilson to Los Angeles? Just a thought.