The Rams only drafted one offensive linemen in 2026, using a third round pick on Keagan Trost, a player who L.A. might have liked because it’s not clear yet if he will be a better fit at tackle or guard. When you look at the upcoming free agents on the Rams offensive line — four of five starters — it’s clear to see why Sean McVay would want someone who gives him options after the season.
Because it will be very hard to fit all four outgoing free agents under the salary cap after 2026, no matter how much the Rams may want to.
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These are contract extension projections for all four of those players.
RT Warren McClendon
Contract projection: 3 years, $54 million ($18/year)
You might think of McClendon as a “serviceable” right tackle, but isn’t that the same as former 49ers right tackle Mike McGlinchey? The former top-10 pick usually graded out as “fine” with the Niners but then signed a four-year, $87.5 million contract with the Broncos in free agency, an average of $17.5 million per season.
A starting right tackle is in high demand and McClendon need only get through next season as the starter for all 17 games to be a popular player in free agency. $18 million AAV might be selling him short.
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RG Kevin Dotson
Contract projection: 3 years, $60 million ($20/year)
Dotson is already the seventh-highest paid right guard in the NFL at $16 million per season. He’s better than Robert Hunt, Carolina’s $20 million AAV right guard.
When Dotson was first extended by the Rams, the feeling was more like “Oh this guy the Steelers traded for nothing is actually kinda good”. Now he’s established as one of the best guards in the NFL, it makes sense he’d want his contract to reflect that and he’s still 29 as of the summer.
LG Steve Avila
Contract projection: 4 years, $84 million ($21/year)
Is Avila a great player? Well, I don’t know about that. But again, it’s better to have great timing than be great and as long as he hits free agency as a starting left guard, he will have suitors lining up all over the place. To keep him off the market, the Rams will need to come with the checkbook and this contract would tie Landon Dickerson as the third-best for a left guard in the league.
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C Coleman Shelton
Contract projection: 2 years, $22 million ($11m/year)
You may not think of Shelton very often, but at $9.5 million he has the fourth-biggest cap hit for ANY center in the NFL next season. Here’s a player who has quietly started every possible game since 2023 and is climbing his way up the center charts.
At $11 million per year, he’d tie Sean Rhyan for 7th best AAV in the league at center. This may sound confusing, but he’s already got a $9.5m cap hit in 2026 and the Rams sure haven’t cut him yet.
Total: $220 million
Average added to cap per year: $70m/season
Combined with the $19.25 AAV for Alaric Jackson, that gives the Rams roughly a $90 million per season commitment just to their starting 5.
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For what that’s worth, only one team (The Panthers) is allocating more than $76 million to their offensive line in 2026, and no team is allocating $90 million to their offensive line in 2027…yet. And that’s just the Rams five starters, not including their depth pieces. This would push L.A.‘s offensive line cap commitment over $100 million per year if they agreed to these numbers.
And to be honest, I think I low-balled some of these contracts.
The Rams keeping their offensive line together after the 2026 season is practically a non-starter. It’s not clear that Trost will help at all in terms of replacing one of them. But you can pretty much guarantee that this is the last year you’ll see these five players together.
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