Quessenberry was drafted in 2013 but didn’t make his NFL debut until 4 years later

After letting Joe Noteboom walk in free agency, the Los Angeles Rams needed help at the swing tackle position. They appear to have found it during OTAs by signing veteran lineman David Quessenberry to a one-year deal, adding the 34-year-old to their offensive tackle group.

Quesenberry will first have to make the 53-man roster but given the lack of depth behind starters Alaric Jackson and Rob Havenstein, he’ll have a good chance to stick around on his fifth NFL team.

Here are five things to know about the veteran tackle who last played for the Vikings in 2023 and 2024.

He didn’t have any scholarship offers out of high school

Quessenberry went to La Costa Canyon High School in Carlsbad, Calif., so he grew up not too far from Los Angeles. During his time there, he played tight end and wasn’t exactly on the radar of colleges. He didn’t have a single scholarship offer out of high school, so he walked on at San Jose State in 2008 and eventually earned a scholarship there.

He was one of the top non-scholarship players in the FBS in 2012

In 2012, Quessenberry was named a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is awarded to the best player in the FBS who began his career as a walk-on. It was given to Matt McGloin that year but simply being one of three finalists for the award was an accomplishment for the San Jose State lineman.

He beat cancer early in his NFL career

Quessenberry was a sixth-round pick by the Texans in 2013 but he didn’t see the field until his fifth season in the NFL. That’s because he suffered a season-ending foot injury in September of his rookie year and then in the summer of 2014, he was diagnosed with a “very rare and very aggressive” form of Lymphoma.

He began chemotherapy right away and then got radiation treatment for six months. In February of 2015, the cancer went into remission. He finished his treatment in April of 2017, officially winning his battle with cancer.

Quessenberry made his NFL debut in December of 2017 after being promoted from the Texans’ practice squad, marking his first game as a pro since being drafted four-plus years earlier.

He won the 2017 George Halas Award for overcoming adversity

After making his way back from months of treatment and a multi-year absence due to Lymphoma, the NFL recognized Quessenberry’s perseverance by naming him the George Halas Award recipient, which goes to the player, coach and staff member who overcomes the most adversity in a given year.

He’s 1 of 3 brothers to make it to the NFL

Quessenberry isn’t the only member of his family to reach the NFL. His brother Scott was a fifth-round pick in 2018, landing with the Chargers as the 155th overall pick. His other brother, Paul, signed with the Patriots as an undrafted rookie in 2020 after serving five years in the Marine Corps. He also had a stint with the Texans from 2021-2022.

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