Garoppolo, Jackson back with Rams after serving two-game suspensions

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jimmy Garoppolo and Alaric Jackson went back to work Wednesday with the Los Angeles Rams after both veterans served two-game suspensions to start the season.

While Garoppolo is a bigger name, the backup quarterback's absence was much less difficult for the Rams (0-2) than playing without Jackson, their starting left tackle.

Jackson refused to say why he had been suspended when asked after practice. Rams coach Sean McVay also has refused to say why Jackson was out for what the NFL called a violation of its personal conduct policy.

“That’s behind us now,” Jackson said. "I’m keeping it in-house right now. I was definitely selfish, but it’s behind me now, and we’re going to move forward with it.”

Jackson, a former undrafted free agent, was the Rams' starting left tackle when healthy for most of the past two seasons since Andrew Whitworth's retirement. He missed half of the 2023 season with blood clots, but returned to start 15 regular season games and Los Angeles' playoff game last year.

“It was definitely tough,” Jackson said of missing the first two games of the new season. “I felt bad about it, but it’s behind us now."

Jackson’s replacements all had problems in the first two games. Joe Noteboom, who got beat out for the starting job by Jackson in 2023, incurred a high ankle sprain while starting the season opener, and backups A.J. Arcuri and Warren McClendon both struggled to keep up in the Rams’ losses to Detroit and Arizona.

The Rams already have four offensive linemen on injured reserve — Noteboom, starting center Jonah Jackson, starting left guard Steve Avila and veteran tackle Conor McDermott. Starting right guard Kevin Dotson is nursing a foot injury that's forcing him to miss practices, while starting right tackle Rob Havenstein missed the season opener with an ankle injury before returning in Week 2.

“We certainly missed (Jackson) in those two weeks that he wasn’t here,” McVay said. "He’s put that behind him. (We) want to be able to move forward, and like I had mentioned, just kind of keep that in-house with respect to the situation.”

Garoppolo publicly addressed the reason for his suspension immediately after he signed with the Rams last March, saying he made a paperwork mistake when filing a therapeutic use exemption for an unspecified substance.

While Stetson Bennett watched from the sideline as Matthew Stafford's backup in the first two games, Garoppolo said he stayed sharp by having daily throwing sessions with his two brothers, who are both in Los Angeles.

“They were grinding,” Garoppolo said with a grin. “I really thank them a lot. They were putting in some time with me, and they've got the bruises to show for it.”

Garoppolo is already anticipating the unusual experience of watching from the sideline Sunday when the Rams host the San Francisco 49ers (1-1), the team he led to a Super Bowl and two NFC title games during six seasons from 2017-22.

“It's going to be a little weird,” Garoppolo said. “But I'm excited to see a bunch of those guys. It will be fun.”

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