The Los Angeles Rams will have to prepare for their next two games without starting left tackle Alaric Jackson after the NFL suspended him for punching Buffalo Bills linebacker Bradley Chubb following Monday night’s game.
WOAH…
Alaric Jackson punched Bradley Chubb after the game finished 😳 pic.twitter.com/377C2MNuBX
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) October 13, 2026
The two-game suspension is official and carries no pay. Unless Jackson successfully appeals, he will miss the Rams’ upcoming matchups with the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders.
The punishment adds a personnel problem to the aftermath of Los Angeles’ 37-34 overtime loss. The Rams fell to 2-3 and now face the prospect of changing the blocker responsible for protecting Matthew Stafford’s left side during a short week of preparation.
Jackson has started each of the Rams’ first five games. His absence would interrupt a starting offensive line that has relied on him throughout the opening stretch of the season.
Which games will Alaric Jackson miss?
The Rams’ schedule has Arizona visiting SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 18, followed by a road game against Las Vegas on Oct. 25. The Cardinals matchup begins at 1:05 p.m. PST, with the Raiders game scheduled for 1:25 p.m. PST.
If the two-game punishment stands, Jackson’s next opportunity to play would come against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Nov. 1. The Rams do not have a bye between the two games covered by the suspension.
There is still an appeal avenue. An appeal would be assigned to one of four hearing officers: Derrick Brooks, Jordy Nelson, Ron Rivera or James Thrash.
Alaric Jackson may appeal the suspension. Any appeal will be heard and decided upon by either Derrick Brooks, Jordy Nelson, Ron Rivera, or James Thrash, the hearing officers jointly appointed and compensated by the NFL and NFLPA to decide appeals of on-field player discipline. https://t.co/05ap3HszqH
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 13, 2026
Those officers are jointly appointed and compensated by the NFL and NFL Players Association to handle appeals involving on-field discipline.
That report described Jackson’s right to challenge the decision; it did not establish that he had filed an appeal or received a reduction. For the Rams, the practical task is preparing a replacement while any challenge to the penalty plays out.
David Quessenberry is the next option on the Rams’ depth chart
Los Angeles lists David Quessenberry directly behind Jackson at left tackle on its unofficial depth chart. Quessenberry is also the listed backup to starting right tackle Warren McClendon Jr.
That makes Quessenberry the obvious name to watch this week, although the depth chart alone does not confirm that head coach Sean McVay has chosen Sunday’s starter.
It also shows why losing Jackson affects more than one position: Using the primary reserve on the left would change the available cover on the right.
The Rams have Steve Avila listed at left guard, Coleman Shelton at center and Kevin Dotson at right guard. If they turn to Quessenberry without moving another starter, Avila would be the lineman working immediately beside him.
Quessenberry has considerably more experience than a developmental tackle. His official career record includes 17 starts for the Tennessee Titans in 2021, three for Buffalo in 2022 and four for the Minnesota Vikings in 2023.
His recent Rams role has been much smaller. When Los Angeles re-signed him to a one-year deal in February, the team noted that he primarily contributed on special teams across 13 appearances in 2025.
He played 12 offensive snaps late in a 45-17 victory over Arizona.
Those are different responsibilities from handling an entire game at left tackle. His experience gives Los Angeles an established alternative, but it does not remove the adjustment from reserve work to repeated pass-protection assignments.
Jackson’s absence interrupts an established role
Jackson has 56 regular-season starts in 62 appearances, including this season. He started 15 games in 2023, 14 in 2024 and 16 in 2025.
The team also lists 1,007 offensive snaps for him last season, the highest total of his career. That workload helps explain why a two-game absence matters even with a veteran backup available: Los Angeles is replacing a regular part of its offense rather than rotating a seldom-used player out of the lineup.
The Rams made their longer-term commitment clear when they announced Jackson’s three-year extension in March 2025. He originally joined the organization as an undrafted free agent out of Iowa in 2021 before developing into its starting left tackle.
For McVay, the immediate question is how much protection help the replacement will need. Keeping a tight end or running back in to assist can support a tackle, but it also reduces the number of players available as immediate receiving options.
Whether Los Angeles needs those adjustments will depend on the matchup and its chosen lineup.
Rams must regroup after overtime loss to Buffalo
Stafford completed 40 of 54 passes for 383 yards and three touchdowns without an interception Monday, according to the Rams’ postgame report. McVay emphasized the need to recover quickly from the defeat.
“We can’t afford to let this team beat us twice, and we’re gonna have to regroup and reset ourselves,” McVay said after Monday’s game.
That comment preceded Tuesday’s official suspension announcement. It addressed the team’s response to the loss, rather than Jackson’s punishment.
Los Angeles had chances to win in overtime. Nate Landman forced a James Cook fumble that Aaron Donald recovered, followed by a Rams drive that ended with Greg Rousseau getting a hand on Harrison Mevis’ potential winning field goal.
Donald, whose planned return against the Giants was a major early-season development for the Rams, helped create that extra possession. It still was not enough to finish the game.
Now the focus shifts to a divisional opponent with a familiar head coach. Mike LaFleur took over the Cardinals after spending the previous three seasons as Los Angeles’ offensive coordinator.
The Rams need a win to return to .500. Unless Jackson’s suspension changes on appeal, they will have to pursue it with a different left tackle.
