2023 was considered a reset year for the Los Angeles Rams. They spent the majority of the offseason and free agency on the sidelines, getting their salary cap situation in line after years of spending lavishly on veterans.
By doing things the way they did in 2023, the Rams have set themselves up in a great position. They are now flush with young players who garnered a ton of experience last season, even helping the team make the playoffs with 10 victories.
This offseason is all about building upon the foundation and continuing the push forward. One of the areas that the Rams identified as needing an upgrade is their offensive line. The team did a good job of retaining guard Kevin Dotson, who agreed to a three-year, $48 million contract last week.
Dotson was excellent for the Rams in 2023 and was one of the best guards in the NFL, earning a PFF grade of 84.4, which was good enough for second. Keeping with the theme of upgrading the interior of their line, Los Angeles made a splash on the first day of the legal tampering period in free agency.
According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, the Rams have agreed to a deal with Jonah Jackson of the Detroit Lions. The two sides have come to terms on a three-year, $51 million contract that includes $34 million guaranteed.
The $17 million on average per season puts him inside the top five highest-paid guards in the NFL. It surpasses even the amount that Dotson signed for, which shows high much value the Rams are putting on upgrading in the trenches this offseason.
With Dotson and Jackson now locked in long-term, the Rams have addressed their offensive line with a bang. Jackson will likely replace Coleman Shelton in the lineup, who hit free agency himself this offseason.
More must-reads: