The Los Angeles Rams may have money to spend in free agency, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the team uses that money to re-sign its own players. This offseason, the Rams will be able to extend obvious players like Puka Nacua and Kobie Turner. However, another player that could be added to the mix is offensive tackle Warren McClendon.
According to NFL reporter Tony Pauline, the Rams are hoping to extend the contract of McClendon who is entering the final year of his rookie deal. Said Pauline,
“Agents who have been meeting with teams tell me there’s an interesting dynamic taking shape, as franchises are now looking to keep their own players rather than dip into the free-agent pool. There are a few reasons for this, including familiarity with the players and hope to continue their development. One recent example of this is the Los Angeles Rams signing veteran safety Quentin Lake to a three-year contract extension in January. As I reported from the Shrine Bowl, the team also hopes to extend the contract of tackle Warren McClendon Jr., who’s entering the final year of his rookie deal.”
Pauline can sometimes be hit or miss, but this one makes a lot of sense for the Rams. Last season, McClendon stepped in for an injured Rob Havenstein at right tackle and played extremely well. McClendon gave up the lowest pressure rate among right tackles last season and provided stability where Havenstein had done so for much of the past decade.
From Weeks 5-18 last season, McClendon was the ninth-highest graded tackle according to PFF, ranking sixth in run-blocking and 26th in pass-blocking. However, his 12 pressures were the second-fewest and he also had the second-highest pass-blocking efficiency. McClendon also graded highly in ESPN’s pass-block win-rate metric where he ranked 12th among all tackles.
It’s very possible that the Rams may have walked into their right tackle of the future last season when Havenstein got hurt. While it’s risky for the Rams to go all-in on McClendon now, his value will only increase if he continues to play well in 2026. This isn’t like Joe Noteboom at the end of 2021 who played well in three spot appearances. McClendon performed for the entire second half of the season and playoffs.
If the Rams extend McClendon now, they may be able to get him for $15 million per year. However, if they wait and McClendon plays well, that could end up closer to $20 million per year. As it stands, the only starting offensive lineman under contract beyond 2026 is Alaric Jackson. It would make sense for the Rams to look to get something done as soon as possible and lock down both tackle spots.
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