Following the retirement of right tackle Rob Havenstein, the Los Angeles Rams will have a decision to make at right tackle. For a decade, Havenstein provided stability at right tackle and was a ‘set it and forget it’ type of player. He made 148 starts at offensive tackle in the regular season which trails only Orlando Pace, Charlie Cowan, and Jackie Slater in franchise history.
For the first time in a decade, the Rams will need to decide what they want to do going forward at the right tackle position.
Despite having opportunities to draft a potential replacement in the early rounds over the past few years, the Rams approached Havenstein’s retirement differently than they handled Andrew Whitworth’s. With Whitworth, the Rams had a clear succession plan with Joe Noteboom that ultimately didn’t work out. In the case of Havenstein, the Rams never spent top draft capital on a potential replacement.
Havenstein’s retirement shouldn’t come as a surprise. He was on an expiring contract and dealt with injuries over the last two years. If anything, it was to be expected. Still, it adds question marks to a position that hasn’t had any for almost a decade. The Rams could opt to sign a veteran for experience, but the options are limited. Among right tackle free agents are Jonah Williams and Jermaine Eluemunor. Williams has limitations in pass protection and Eluemunor doesn’t move the needle. Signing a free agent right tackle seems like the least likely path forward.
This really comes down to whether or not Warren McClendon showed enough in 13 starts or is right tackle now a priority. While mock drafts may have the Rams selecting tackles such as Monroe Freeling, or Blake Miller, even that feels unlikely. Selecting someone like Josh Simons last year would have made sense. However, asking an unproven rookie to take the mantle at right tackle is asking a lot, especially in a Super Bowl season.
While grades from Pro Football Focus aren’t the end-all, be-all, it is a way to quantify offensive line play. From the time McClendon officially took over in Week 12 until Week 18, McClendon was the fifth-highest graded tackle in the NFL. His 83.1 run-blocking grade was tied for seventh and his 79.7 pass-blocking grade ranked ninth. McClendon’s 98.5 pass-blocking efficiency was second behind only Garrett Boles.
Still, after allowing four or more pressures once in 10 starts during the regular season, he did so twice in three postseason games. Two of his worst games via pass-blocking efficiency came in the Wild Card round against the Carolina Panthers and the Conference Championship against the Seattle Seahawks.
When the Rams moved from Whitworth to Noteboom in 2022, it was a clear succession. The Rams did draft Logan Bruss at 103 overall, but the plan initially was for him to play right guard. There was no backup plan in the case that Noteboom’s form at the end of 2021 was a fluke. That’s not a mistake that the Rams can make again.
To be clear, that’s not to say that McClendon isn’t the guy or can’t be the guy moving forward. However, all of the eggs can’t be put in that basket as they were in 2022. There’s no doubt that McClendon earned the opportunity to start at right tackle and take over for Havenstein. Ideally, the Rams give McClendon a chance and also draft a tackle with starting upside in the second or third round.
This allows the Rams to roll with McClendon in 2026 and give him the reins at right tackle. At the same time, if McClendon struggles, they have a backup plan and depth on the offensive line. With McClendon moving up into a starting role, the Rams are losing their swing tackle. They need a player that can slot in at left or right tackle in the case of injury. A player like Caleb Tiernan, Isaiah World, Max Iheanachor, or Drew Shelton could fill that role.
It’s also worth noting that McClendon is entering the final year of his rookie deal. In the case that McClendon plays himself into a large contract and the Rams are unable to re-sign him, they need a safety blanket in place. Adding a player that can develop as a rookie would protect them in that sense.
As it stands, McClendon is set to be the starting right tackle of the Rams in 2026 and that’s the way that it should be. It’s unlikely that they will sign a Havenstein replacement in free agency. Any mock draft that has the Rams taking an offensive tackle in the first round didn’t watch them down the stretch. McClendon showed enough over those 13 games to be given an opportunity. With that said, the Rams can still benefit by taking a tackle on Day 2 of the draft to develop and protect them moving forward.
