Warren Mcclendon Jr.

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Rams secured a solid depth piece at bargain-basement pricing with Warren McClendon Jr.'s four-year, $4.1M extension, earning a C+ CVI that reflects modest value for an unproven tackle. At just $1.0M annually with minimal guaranteed money ($0.2M), Los Angeles is essentially paying replacement-level wages for a young offensive lineman who could develop into a serviceable swing tackle or spot starter. The contract structure heavily favors the team, with such low guarantees that they can walk away without significant financial penalty if McClendon doesn't progress as hoped. While his current production tier remains unclear given limited NFL experience, the Rams are betting on developmental upside at a price point that makes this a low-risk flyer rather than a foundational investment. This deal represents smart roster management — securing a young tackle for four years at backup money while maintaining maximum flexibility if he fails to establish himself as a reliable NFL contributor.

Performance Analysis

Warren McClendon Jr. is a third-year offensive tackle for the Los Angeles Rams whose current performance grade reflects the reality of a developmental lineman still working to carve out a defined role at the NFL level. Appearing in 17 games this season, his durability has not been the issue — availability is the floor expectation for any reserve lineman hoping to earn a permanent spot, and McClendon has at least cleared that bar. The deeper problem is that three seasons into a career that began with a fifth-round selection (174th overall) in 2023, the production and on-field impact simply have not elevated him above depth-chart filler status, which is what an F performance grade reflects. His $1.0M salary on a rookie scale contract means the Rams carry virtually no financial risk in keeping him around, but the clock on that developmental runway is ticking — teams don't carry offensive linemen on goodwill indefinitely. As the media framing makes clear, McClendon operates almost entirely outside the national spotlight, anonymous even by backup lineman standards, with his reputation tethered entirely to whether the Rams' offensive line as a unit performs rather than anything he has generated individually. With the regular season still 134 days away and Los Angeles active in adding roster bodies this offseason, the competition for his depth role is real, and 2026 shapes up as a make-or-break year for whether he solidifies a legitimate NFL future or remains perpetually on the roster fringe.