Rams have a decision to make at RT once Rob Havenstein returns

Rob Havenstein is the Los Angeles Rams’ longest-tenured player, one of the few who go all the way back to the franchise’s St. Louis days. He’s been a wall at right tackle for the last several years when healthy, while also providing invaluable leadership in the locker room.

But the Rams have to face reality when it comes to their 33-year-old lineman: His play has fallen off. He’s taken a step back this season, struggling in both pass protection and the run game before landing on IR two weeks ago. His pass-blocking grade of 45.2 is the fifth-worst among all tackles with at least 182 snaps played, while his run-blocking grade (63.5) is 48th at the position, per PFF.

His replacement, Warren McClendon Jr., has been – to borrow a phrase from Sean McVay – a stud in his place. McClendon has started five games and has yet to allow a sack, giving up just six total pressures in 190 pass-blocking snaps. He ranks fourth among tackles with a run-blocking grade of 86.4 and 41st in pass-blocking (67.7). His stellar play has forced the Rams to make a decision when Havenstein is ready to return.

Do they keep rolling with McClendon, who has clearly been better by all measures? Or do they turn back to the veteran with Havenstein and risk suffering a setback at right tackle? The last time Havenstein returned from injury in Week 9, they gave him back his starting job. That may not happen again this time.

Sean McVay said on the “Coach McVay Show” last week that McClendon has been “outstanding,” praising the job he’s done filling in for Havenstein. While it wasn’t a clear indication that the Rams will keep McClendon as their starter over Havenstein, it does show how much confidence McVay has in the third-year tackle out of Georgia.

“He was awesome. Outstanding. He’s done great,” McVay said. “He’s playing really well. He’s got such a cool, quieted confidence, a calm and a poise. He was outstanding. I loved what I saw from Warren.”

When you compare McClendon and Havenstein’s numbers, it’s clear which player is the better option. McClendon has allowed six pressures in 190 pass-blocking snaps (3.2%) while Havenstein has given up 22 in 255 (8.6%).

Havenstein will be first eligible to return from IR in Week 16 when the Rams host the Seattle Seahawks in a game that could decide the NFC West. Havenstein’s last game before getting hurt was against those same Seahawks, and he gave up three pressures with a pass-blocking grade of 19.9, the worst of his career.

Do the Rams really want to trot him out again, knowing the Seahawks might have the blueprint for generating pressure against the right side of the offensive line? Unless McClendon’s play falls off a cliff in the next two weeks, this shouldn’t be a very difficult decision.

The only tough part is telling an 11-year veteran that he lost his job to an injury replacement and won’t be getting it back – potentially ever.

The Rams were likely going to make a change at right tackle in the upcoming offseason, either by drafting a rookie right tackle or giving someone like McClendon a shot to start. But that changing of the guard tackle may now come a few months early.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams should keep Warren McClendon Jr. as RT for rest of 2025