Recent Forum Topics › Forums › The Rams Huddle › alaric jackson … blood clots? DJ Humphries … any good?
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zn.
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June 13, 2025 at 5:34 pm #156813
znModerator#Rams OT Alaric Jackson, a key member of the O-line who just signed an extension, is dealing with blood clots once again, per The Insiders. Similar to what he had in 2022.
While the belief is he’ll play in 2025, there are still questions. That explains the DJ Humphries signing. pic.twitter.com/H3KvgraB3P
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 13, 2025
June 15, 2025 at 11:04 am #156823
nittany ramModeratorre: Alaric Jackson’s blood clots
This is just terrible, terrible, news. For Alaric personally and the Rams.
This is potentially Super Bowl derailing news.Sheesh…
June 15, 2025 at 11:36 am #156824znModeratorThis is just terrible, terrible, news. For Alaric personally and the Rams.
This is potentially Super Bowl derailing news.Sheesh…
Right now there is no expectation that the problem will persist into the season.
June 15, 2025 at 12:27 pm #156825nittany ramModeratorThis is just terrible, terrible, news. For Alaric personally and the Rams.
This is potentially Super Bowl derailing news.Sheesh…
Right now there is no expectation that the problem will persist into the season.
Look who shows up with a reply based on a rational and measured evaluation of available information.
Typical.
This is panic time.
How can you even call yourself a Rams fan?
June 15, 2025 at 12:42 pm #156826znModeratorLook who shows up with a reply based on a rational and measured evaluation of available information.
Typical.
This is panic time.
How can you even call yourself a Rams fan?
Sry. Can’t help it.
June 15, 2025 at 7:32 pm #156827
wvParticipantI’m with Nittany on this, blood clot thing.
Season’s over. Surely, some revelation is at hand.
w
v
“…A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.. “June 15, 2025 at 8:14 pm #156828znModerator“…A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.. “Well, I appreciate your portrait of Alaric Jackson there. Playing the Cardinals, no less (“desert birds”).
Though I think you over mythify him a bit.
June 16, 2025 at 8:05 am #156833znModeratorJourdan Rodrigue @jourdanrodrigue.bsky.social
Tough situation for Jackson, though he has navigated this before. Also worth noting that Rams did not draft tackle depth and that RT Rob Havenstein is recovering this offseason from cleanout procedures on both shoulders. Key positions to watch coming out of the break.June 16, 2025 at 10:34 am #156835znModeratorRams’ Alaric Jackson being treated for blood clots; team signs D.J. Humphries
Gary Klein
https://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/story/2025-06-12/rams-bolster-offensive-line-dj-humphries
Alaric Jackson established himself as the Rams’ starting left tackle the last two seasons, and in February signed a three-year contract that included $35 million in guarantees.
But the fifth-year pro, who began his career as an undrafted free agent, is being treated for blood clot issues, a person with knowledge of the situation said Friday. The person requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation.
Jackson, 26, also dealt with blood clot issues in 2022, which caused him to sit out eight games.
The Rams began organized team activities in May with an established line that included Jackson, left guard Steve Avila, center Coleman Shelton, right guard Kevin Dotson and right tackle Rob Havenstein, who is recovering from shoulder surgeries.
Havenstein’s and Jackson’s conditions have prompted the Rams to add depth at tackle.
After signing veteran free agent David Quessenberry in May, on Thursday they agreed to terms with veteran D.J. Humphries on a one-year contract.
Humphries, a 2015 first-round draft pick by the Arizona Cardinals, joins a line that also includes swing tackle Warren McClendon Jr.
Humphries, 31, played eight seasons for the Cardinals before sustaining a major knee injury near the end of the 2023 season.
Last season, he played for the Kansas City Chiefs, but he sustained a hamstring injury in his first game back in Week 14 and played in only two regular-season games.
The Rams will conclude their offseason program next week with a minicamp in Maui.
June 18, 2025 at 12:21 pm #156852znModerator1.
Rams taking things “a day at a time” with Alaric Jackson
McVay confirmed Los Angeles’ starting left tackle is dealing with blood clots and did not travel with the team to Maui for minicamp. He did not provide a timetable for Jackson’s return, other than saying they were taking things day-by-day with him.
“You pray for him to be able to have a healthy, safe recovery,” McVay said. “And we’re really just taking it a day at a time with him. There’s a lot of examples of people that have had situations like this, but they’re all still so uniquely independent in their own right. And so we’re gathering information.”
Jackson has faced a similar situation before, missing the final nine games of the 2022 season because of blood clots. When asked about what they can apply from Jackson’s first time dealing with this scenario as they form a plan this time around, McVay reiterated they’re still in the process of gathering information.
“There needs to be a lot of discussion and dialogue with (Jackson) and with the doctors about, most importantly, what’s best for him as a human being,” McVay said. “And then you talk about football after that. But what we are grateful for is that we were able to identify this based on his communication and get him on the appropriate medicine to make sure that he’s as healthy as possible.”
McVay said they signed veteran offensive lineman D.J. Humphries to a one-year deal last week to be “proactive about a contingency plan.”
2.
from https://www.lafbnetwork.com/nfl/la-rams/la-rams-news/los-angeles-rams-alaric-jackson-timeline/
McVay also praised Jackson’s transparency, noting that the player’s communication helped detect the issue early, allowing for timely medical intervention. “You pray for him to be able to have a healthy, safe recovery,” McVay said, acknowledging the unique and unpredictable nature of blood clot cases. His guarded tone reflects the reality that while Jackson’s recovery is the top priority, the timeline—and perhaps even his long-term playing future—remains unsettled. As the Rams gather more information and consult closely with medical professionals, the hope is for a positive outcome, but patience and caution will define the path forward.
June 18, 2025 at 2:04 pm #156855nittany ramModeratorMcVay also praised Jackson’s transparency,
Christ, as if the blood clots weren’t bad enough!
Poor sap…
June 18, 2025 at 7:12 pm #156856wvParticipantMcVay also praised Jackson’s transparency,
Christ, as if the blood clots weren’t bad enough!
Poor sap…
The best Left tackles are opaque is what I always heard. Obscure, even.
w
vJune 18, 2025 at 10:05 pm #156857nittany ramModeratorMcVay also praised Jackson’s transparency,
Christ, as if the blood clots weren’t bad enough!
Poor sap…
The best Left tackles are opaque is what I always heard. Obscure, even.
w
vYeah, the best have the consistency of a light maple syrup, which is necessary to pancake a defender so I’ve read.
June 25, 2025 at 1:08 pm #156916znModeratorPARAM
Another question is DJ Humphries. Many fans feel he’s not that good. But I have to wonder. The guy started 80 games for Arizona from 2018-2022. Drafted in the first round (#24) they picked up his 5th year option and he subsequently earned two more contract extensions with the Cardinals, making the Pro Bowl in 2021. Are we judging him on how he looked vs Aaron Donald and the Rams? Furthermore, don’t we consider our OL coach one of the up and coming stars in the NFL? Is it possible, he could make Humphries even better?
July 1, 2025 at 10:13 am #156951znModeratorWe finally have more info on D.J. Humphries' contract with the Rams
– 1 year, $2.5M ($2.34M guaranteed)
He's not just a camp body. He's going to make the team and possibly be a starter with Alaric Jackson's status up in the air. https://t.co/I8waZgL15T
— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) July 1, 2025
July 2, 2025 at 5:53 pm #156956
ZooeyModeratorPARAM
Another question is DJ Humphries. Many fans feel he’s not that good. But I have to wonder. The guy started 80 games for Arizona from 2018-2022. Drafted in the first round (#24) they picked up his 5th year option and he subsequently earned two more contract extensions with the Cardinals, making the Pro Bowl in 2021. Are we judging him on how he looked vs Aaron Donald and the Rams? Furthermore, don’t we consider our OL coach one of the up and coming stars in the NFL? Is it possible, he could make Humphries even better?
He is probably the best #3 OT on the roster, and there was a need there. Most of us thought the Rams would be drafting that position. Humphries is probably better than “Fine” as a fill-in.
July 3, 2025 at 3:32 am #156957znModeratorHe is probably the best #3 OT on the roster, and there was a need there. Most of us thought the Rams would be drafting that position. Humphries is probably better than “Fine” as a fill-in.
Humphries
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Humphries made his first and only Pro Bowl in 2021 but statistically, his best season was in 2020 when he allowed just three sacks in 695 pass-blocking snaps and earned a career-high 88.3 grade from PFF. He’s been fairly consistent throughout his time in the NFL, finishing all but one season with a grade of at least 64.5; the lone exception was in 2024 with the Chiefs when he played just 92 snaps.
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from https://www.chiefs.com/news/five-things-to-know-about-new-chiefs-ot-d-j-humphries
Humphries was a Pro Bowler in 2021.
Offensive tackles – even the best ones – often don’t garner the recognition they deserve due to the nature of their position, but Humphries was recognized for his efforts with a Pro Bowl nod in 2021.
He started 16 games that season, yielding 42 pressures across 661 pass-blocking snaps, the 11th-fewest among tackles with 600+ pass-blocking snaps.
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from the wiki
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Born: December 28, 1993 (age 31)
Height: 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight: 307 lb (139 kg)
Career information
College: Florida (2012–2014)
NFL draft: 2015: 1st round, 24th pick…
On August 2, 2022, Humphries signed a three-year, $66.6 million contract extension with the Cardinals through the 2025 season.[19]
On November 26, 2022, Humphries was placed on injured reserve with a back injury.[20]
December 31st, 2023 Humphries tore his ACL in a victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. He would be placed on injured reserve later in the week. [21]
On March 13, 2024, Humphries was released by the Cardinals after nine seasons.[22]
Kansas City Chiefs
On November 25, 2024, Humphries signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.[23] During the regular season, he started at left tackle in Week 14 against the Los Angeles Chargers and in Week 18 versus the Denver Broncos and in the playoffs played special teams in the divisional round and the AFC Championship Game and was active but did not play in Super Bowl LIX.
Los Angeles Rams
On June 12, 2025, Humphries signed with the Los Angeles Rams, originally having a deal in April with the San Francisco 49ers but the deal fell through.[24]
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from 2015 NFL Draft Scouting Report: D.J. Humphries — https://walterfootball.com/scoutingreport2015djhumphries.php
Strengths:
Extremely athletic
Fast for an offensive lineman
Quick feet
Ability to kick slide
Adjusts to the inside
Capable run-blocker
Functional strength
Gets movement in the ground game
Fires to the second level
Ability to stay on his feet
Good size, length
Ability to sustain blocks
Mobility for zone scheme
Strength for man scheme
Lots of upsideWeaknesses:
Durability issues
Consistently injured
Inconsistent play at times
Prone to leg, knee injuries
Hand placement
Not as experienced as typical prospects
Raw
Can he maintain weight?Summary:
Last December, if you told a die-hard Gators fan that D.J. Humphries would be a first-round pick after his junior year, they would be surprised because Humphries only played up to that draft grade in small stretches. During his three years at Florida, typically he was dealing with some sort of injuries. Humphries came to Florida as one of the top recruits in the nation, but he never was a difference-maker for the Gators.
…
Humphries has the physical skill set to be a starting left tackle in the NFL, and some feel that his raw talent is such that he could be a franchise left tackle. Humphries is very quick and athletic to negate speed rushers around the edge. He can get depth to take away the corner and is quick to adjust to inside moves. Humphries attacks defenders and gets his hands on them quickly. His hand placement does need to improve, and his technique can be somewhat raw. He isn’t entering the NFL with a lot of experience or development.
While Humphries played a lot of his college career in the 280s and 290s, he has functional strength to move defenders in the ground game. Florida had success running behind Humphries in 2014, and he can move defensive ends out of their gap with the quickness to fire to the second level and hit blocks on linebackers. Humphries’ speed and athleticism would make him a great fit in a zone-blocking scheme.
…
Player Comparison: D’Brickashaw Ferguson. Humphries’ game is similar to Ferguson. Both are cat quick for left tackles with the athleticism to handle speed rushers. They aren’t overpowering in the ground game, but they have functional strength to get movement at the point of attack. If Humphries stays healthy, I think he could be a tackle similar to Ferguson in the NFL.
….=
July 22, 2025 at 2:16 pm #157149znModeratorSean McVay said OT Alaric Jackson (blood clots) has a plan in place for camp that will allow him to do individual drills and jog throughs, but not the physical OL activities.
He’s not setting expectations for the season, but didn’t rule out AJ being available to start the year.
— Wyatt Miller (@wymill07) July 22, 2025
July 26, 2025 at 3:55 pm #157198znModeratorMike LaFleur impressed by OT D.J. Humphries early in Rams training camp https://t.co/KD3xCAKLcl pic.twitter.com/4cbFYKa5AN
— Rams Wire (@TheRamsWire) July 26, 2025
…
D.J. Humphries has only been at the facility for a short amount of time, but the Los Angeles Rams’ veteran tackle hasn’t taken long to make a strong impression.
The longtime Arizona Cardinal joined the Rams back in June, a move the organization made after starting left tackle Alaric Jackson was diagnosed with blood clots. Humphries, who the Cardinals drafted in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft, brings in a decade of experience to the Rams’ offensive front and has a reputation for being one of the more dependable left tackles in the league.
Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur knows all about Humphries from his time coaching with the San Francisco 49ers and what has stood out is the man within the helmet and jersey.
“I’ve unfortunately, or fortunately, gone up against him a lot over the last six, seven years,” LaFleur said. “So I’ve always respected his game. But I didn’t know him personally until we brought him in.”
That all changed quickly when Humphries arrived in Southern California just before the team made its way out for Maui camp in Hawaii.
“We got him so late in the summer, I didn’t really know what to expect,” LaFleur added. “But just in these past few days, it’s clear, he’s a professional. A real pro. It’s awesome to have him.”
July 27, 2025 at 10:08 am #157208znModeratorAlaric Jackson seems to be making good progress
It was a great sign that Jackson didn’t start camp on the PUP or NFI list, allowing him to participate in practice even in a limited capacity. By Friday, he was taking part in team drills during the jog-through and remained a participant on Saturday, too.
The Rams will take it as slow as needed with Jackson as he deals with blood clots in his leg but as McVay said, there’s a “very real possibility” that he’ll be on the field in Week 1. That would be fantastic news for the Rams, even though they’re confident in D.J. Humphries as the backup plan; Humphries has been getting first-team reps in practice, as well.
July 31, 2025 at 1:58 am #157269znModeratorElvis
Today was a walk through apparently but we can see AJ is participating in those:
Poona Ford vs. Alaric Jackson. pic.twitter.com/XrYIA37IEP
— Allen Sales (@AllenSales) July 30, 2025
July 31, 2025 at 6:51 pm #157289znModeratorElvis
Today was a walk through apparently but we can see AJ is participating in those:
More on that.
…
The Los Angeles Rams look to be inching closer to getting a key piece of their offensive line back, as left tackle Alaric Jackson continues to take steps towards getting back on the field. Jackson has been sidelined most of this offseason with issues stemming from blood clots, a similar situation to the one that forced him to miss significant time back in 2022.
According to ESPN’s Sarah Barshop, Jackson was able to take part in team activities for the first time since camp started, being limited to only individual drills through the first few days. (link: https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/rams-alaric-jackson-participates-in-team-drills/ ).
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the belief is that Jackson will play in 2025 but there are “still questions” as he works through this health scare for the second time in his career. Jackson starting to get on the field more is, at the minimum, an encouraging sign.
Jackson signed a three-year, $57 million extension in February after a solid first season as the full time starting left tackle. Head coach Sean McVay touched on how crucial the position will be for the team going forward.
“Left tackle is going to be a really important spot for us to be able to develop, with an optimistic and a hopeful approach that Alaric is going to continue to work and be ready whenever he gets cleared.”
Putting even more pressure on the left tackle questions is the lack of mobility of veteran QB Matthew Stafford, who has also not been participating in practice with back soreness. Considering that Jackson is responsible for watching Stafford’s backside makes it all the more pressing that LA is secure at the position.
Luckily, Sports Illustrated is reporting that the offensive depth for Los Angeles thus far has been playing well in practice, specifically noting that tackles D.J. Humphries and Warren McClendon Jr have found their rhythm. (link: https://www.si.com/nfl/rams/los-angeles-tutu-atwell-davante-adams-sean-mcvay-training-camp ).
August 18, 2025 at 3:34 pm #157566znModeratorSarah Barshop@sarahbarshop
Sean McVay said LT Alaric Jackson (blood clots) is “on track” in his rehab and the team looks forward “to getting him out on the field sooner than later.” Jackson is still restricted in terms of what he can do in team drills.“He is in great shape right now,” McVay said.
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from https://www.si.com/nfl/rams/los-angeles-sean-mcvay-matthew-stafford-alaric-jackson-terrance-ferguson
Alaric Jackson
I asked McVay about where Alaric Jackson was in his recovery.
McVay stated Jackson was doing great and that he remains on track to return. He’s physically active but there’s restrictions pertaining to his return to team activity.
McVay stated Jackson was in great mental and physical shape, taking his recovery seriously. He remains week to week.
August 19, 2025 at 5:03 pm #157584znModeratorGary Klein@LATimesklein
McVay said he was hopeful that LT Alaric Jackson would be available for the opener. -
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