The Los Angeles Rams are facing significant roster and disciplinary adjustments following a narrow overtime defeat against the Buffalo Bills. Team management and league officials have taken swift action in response to on-field mistakes and unsportsmanlike conduct during the high-stakes contest.
Offensive lineman Alaric Jackson has received a two-game suspension from the National Football League after striking an opponent. The incident occurred near the center of the field following the conclusion of the Rams' 37-34 loss on Monday.
Television broadcasts and eyewitness accounts showed Jackson walking up to Buffalo linebacker Bradley Chubb during a post-game gathering and delivering a blow to the jaw. Chubb addressed the media afterward, attributing the altercation to the intense feelings that accompany a tightly contested matchup.
As a result of the league discipline, Jackson will sit out the upcoming fixtures against the Arizona Cardinals and the Las Vegas Raiders. The offensive lineman has been with the Los Angeles franchise since arriving in 2021.
Simultaneously, the Rams front office made a major change to the special teams unit by parting ways with kicker Harrison Mevis. Mevis joined the organization in 2025 but struggled significantly during the recent loss to Buffalo, missing a crucial field goal attempt during regulation and having another potential game-winning kick blocked in the extra period.
Head coach Sean McVay did not mince words when assessing the performance of his kicking unit after the defeat. McVay publicly stated that the shortcomings in the kicking game directly resulted in the loss, pointing to substandard execution on both extra points and field goals.
The young kicker's recent statistics reflected a downward trend, having successfully converted only five of his previous nine field goal tries. Over the last two games alone, Mevis had managed to make just one out of four attempts.
To fill the vacancy left by Mevis, the Rams quickly moved to secure veteran replacement Blake Grupe. Grupe was signed away from the practice squad of the New York Jets to take over kicking duties.
The incoming kicker brings substantial professional experience to the position, having appeared in 50 career games across previous stints with the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts. Throughout his professional career, Grupe has maintained a solid conversion rate, successfully making over 81 percent of his field goal tries and nearly 98 percent of his extra-point attempts.
The Rams are looking to put the turmoil of the Buffalo game behind them as they prepare for their next divisional opponent. Coaching staff and players alike are hoping the roster adjustments will restore stability to both the offensive line and the special teams units.
Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC Sport. Read the original report at BBC Sport.
