Latest news with #Rams'
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL insider explains Rams' recent roster building strategy
NFL insider explains Rams' recent roster building strategy The Los Angeles Rams have a few flaws they've yet to address on their roster. Namely, the cornerbacks and linebackers lack firepower to truly elevate a defense. And while the Rams have the cap space and assets to pull off a move for a star cornerback (like Jalen Ramsey), the duo of head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead appears unwilling to do so with any urgency. They retained the same secondary from 2024 — the one that ranked 26th in passing yards allowed — and didn't draft any young players at either cornerback or safety despite taking a late-round linebacker. That, according to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, seems to be by design. "The Rams' approach to filling the position in recent years has been interesting," Breer wrote. The projected starters right now are a couple guys that came in as reclamation projects, in Ahkello Witherspoon and Darious Williams (who returned after starting his career in Los Angeles). Former first-rounder Emmanuel Forbes Jr. is in that mix too. And so taking a swing on Alexander [who has since signed with the Ravens] or getting Jalen Ramsey back would kind of fit. "But I do think this is also a larger philosophical thing for the Rams, with much of their recent focus on building up the offensive skill spots and defensive front—areas they believe are truly impactful on wins and losses. I heard someone say that in today's NFL, corners are more speed bumps than stop signs, and I think that might be how L.A. has come to view the position. Or at least that's how it looks." McVay and Snead have always been ahead of the game in roster construction, so Breer's hypothesis would make sense. It would certainly explain why the Rams have used a bevy of top-100 picks on the defensive line to replace Aaron Donald with Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Byron Young and Kobie Turner. Or why they preferred to draft players at tight end, edge rusher, running back and defensive tackle before linebacker. If McVay and defensive coordinator Chris Shula think they can put together a quality defensive unit without stars at cornerback or linebacker, then this lack of urgency should work. It almost did in 2024 when the young defense emerged as a stout group right up until they ran into Saquon Barkley in the NFC Divisional Round. Whatever the case may be, the Rams appear to have a plan that they're sticking to, even despite outside pressure to reunite with Ramsey.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
3 things that could make or break the Rams' NFC West title defense
3 things that could make or break the Rams' NFC West title defense The Rams won the NFC West in 2024, but staying on top won't be easy After returning to the playoffs in 2023, the Los Angeles Rams exceeded expectations in 2024 and reclaimed the NFC West crown for the first time since 2021. Los Angeles now enters the 2025 season with momentum, but also with pressure to stay atop a division that saw only the Rams play in January off a 10-7 record following a 1-4 start and it wasn't until Week 14 that the team managed to get over .500. To stay on top, Sean McVay's team must address three critical areas that could make or break their bid for back-to-back division titles. Keep QB Matthew Stafford clean on the blind side The Rams' offense goes as far as Stafford can take it, but only if he's upright. The 37-year-old signal caller was protected fairly well last season, having been sacked 38 times, which was tied for 13th fewest, but questions now swirl around the left tackle spot. Alaric Jackson, who signed a three-year, $57.75 million contract extension back in February, is battling blood clots that have now cast doubt on his availability. While D.J. Humphries was signed as insurance, he's two years removed from an ACL tear suffered late during the 2023 season and also injured his hamstring as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs last year. Behind him, depth is thin. This means the Rams must either trust Humphries or veteran David Quessenberry, who the Rams signed back in May to a one-year deal, to be a full-time solution. If the left tackle position becomes an issue, Stafford's efficiency and this offense's explosiveness could take a hit. Get the Stafford-Adams connection rolling The Rams made one of the splashiest moves of the offseason by bringing in All-Pro WR Davante Adams. But a bold move only pays off if the chemistry follows. Replacing a franchise great in Cooper Kupp isn't about swapping targets, it's about recalibrating the offense. Adams thrives in isolation routes, crisp timing, and red-zone precision. That demands a new layer of McVay's playbook and fast-track chemistry with Stafford. Suppose the Rams can't quickly build a rhythm between Stafford and Adams. In that case, they risk becoming predictable, or worse, inefficient, against elite defenses like San Francisco, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, who all loom on L.A.'s 2025 schedule. Reinforce the secondary While the front seven has promising talents like Jared Verse, last years defensive rookie of the year, Braden Fiske and Kobie Turner, the Rams' secondary remains a glaring concern. In the defensive backfield, they've ranked 20th the past two seasons in passing defense, allowing 231.1 yards per game in 2023 and 223.1 yards in 2024, while also ranking middle of the pack in passing yards allowed per attempt at 6.7 last season and despite having a pair of solid veterans in Ahkello Witherspoon and Darious Williams, they have yet to land a proven CB1 for 2025. The options? Bring in a veteran like Stephon Gilmore. Make a splash by trading for Jalen Ramsey, or bank on internal growth from players like Cobie Durant, who finished with 40 tackles, eight deflections, and an interception last season. Without a stable boundary presence, the Rams could continue to be vulnerable against the NFC West's improved passing attacks. Bottom Line The Rams have the roster to run the West. But every contender has soft spots. If L.A. can patch the left tackle situation, turn Adams into an every-week weapon, and fix their secondary leaks, the road to the NFC West still runs through Inglewood. If not? The door could swing wide open for the 49ers, Seahawks, or Cardinals to crash the party.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Rams' Sean McVay comments on Jalen Ramsey trade 'obstacles' with Dolphins
Rams' Sean McVay comments on Jalen Ramsey trade 'obstacles' with Dolphins The Miami Dolphins' mandatory minicamp is in the rearview and the franchise is now in the midst of a break before training camp gets underway in late July. Though it was an excused absence, Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey wasn't present during Miami's minicamp as the franchise explores potential trade options. One of the popular theories is that the Los Angeles Rams could be a trade partner. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said at the beginning of June that Ramsey had the Rams "on his radar as a potential option." 'The LA Rams, Ramsey's old team, is on his radar as a potential option. Nothing moving there as of yet. He should have a new team this fall,' Fowler said at the beginning of June. 'The expectation is that Ramsey will be traded in the coming days and weeks. They can save about $10 million on their salary cap if they do so. That is not the issue. He's got $24 million guaranteed. That is the major issue here. Teams have been a little spooked by that.' On Tuesday, Rams head coach Sean McVay said from the team's mandatory minicamp in Maui that he wouldn't rule out a trade for the Dolphins' star cornerback. But, McVay noted the "obstacles" that could prevent a move. "Usually, those are scenarios and situations that you have to have plans in place prior to executing some of the decisions that have occurred. Definitely don't want to rule anything out because we're always open-minded to onboarding and acquiring quality players and people like him if we're able to do that, but there would be some obstacles that are real that are in the place of maybe preventing that from occurring," McVay said. McVay dissected some of the other "layers" to a potential Ramsey deal. "What is his salary? And are we able to take that on just based on our current situation when you onboard a player that's earned the right to be paid where he's at? Those are things that you're usually planning months in advance and obviously, it was unforeseen that he would become available. "And if you do execute a trade, what are they looking for in return? Is there a conversation to be had in terms of a portion of that contract that they pay? Are they interested in players or draft capital? So there's a lot of layers to that," McVay said. Ramsey returning to the Rams had been a trendy pick because of his familiarity with McVay and the franchise. The three-time, first-team All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler enjoyed some of his best seasons with the Rams. Ramsey won Super Bowl LVI with the Rams to cap the 2021 NFL season. The 6-foot-1 corner was a first-team All-Pro in both 2020 and 2021 with the Rams and a Pro Bowler every season in Los Angeles from 2019-22. The Dolphins open training camp on July 27 from the Baptist Health Training Complex in Miami Gardens. If Ramsey indeed isn't a part of the long-term plans, the franchise would love to have moved him beforehand.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
PFF picks this starter as Rams' make-or-break player in 2025
PFF picks this starter as Rams' make-or-break player in 2025 The Los Angeles Rams made a lot of preparations this offseason to build on the success of 2024 and create a championship-caliber team in 2025. Matthew Stafford is back, the offensive line is mostly the same and the team even added Davante Adams to replace Cooper Kupp. While the defense remains a work in progress, this Rams squad has the makings of another team who can compete in the playoffs. A lot of the Rams' success hinges on Stafford's ability to stay healthy and upright, though. That's why Pro Football Focus's Dalton Wasserman wrote that starting left tackle Alaric Jackson is the Rams' top make-or-break player heading into the season. "No current starting quarterback needs proficient pass protection as much as Matthew Stafford," Wasserman wrote. "That's a huge reason why the Rams re-signed left tackle Alaric Jackson to a three-year contract worth roughly $19 million per year. Unfortunately, Jackson is now dealing with a blood clot issue that puts his status in doubt, at least for the beginning of the 2025 season. The Rams ranked 30th in the NFL in PFF pass-blocking grade last season, and Jackson is arguably the most important part of a turnaround in the department." General manager Les Snead wouldn't have re-signed Jackson if he didn't think he was an important piece of the Rams' 2025 puzzle. The former undrafted free agent has shone in recent years and is coming off a solid season despite missing the first two games with a PED suspension. The blood clot issue isn't good, as a similar ailment cost Jackson the final nine games of the 2022 season. The Rams signed veteran D.J. Humphries to step up in case Jackson needs to miss time. Jackson's deal is big, but it's effectively just a two-year deal, which gives the Rams some flexibility if Jackson's health goes south. The Rams have to hope it doesn't come to that.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Former NFL QB ranks the Rams WR unit as top-5
Former NFL QB ranks the Rams WR unit as top-5 The hype around the combination of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams on the Los Angeles Rams continues to grow. They've been named among the best duos in the NFL before they even play a snap together and will certainly elevate Matthew Stafford's game in 2025. Another pundit ranked the whole Rams' receiver group highly, too: ex-Green Bay Packers quarterback Kurt Benkert, who is now a football analyst for Sleeper. Benkert ranked the Rams' receiver room third behind the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys. Nacua and Adams lead the room, but the Rams have more than just them. Tutu Atwell is back and provides an exciting speed element, Jordan Whittington is a solid pass-catcher who was a late-round pick in 2024 and Konata Mumpfield is a seventh-rounder who was widely consistent in college. Stafford will need as many weapons as possible if he and the Rams want to compete in the tight-knit NFC West. L.A. won the division a year ago but will have a tough road to keep the crown as the rest of the division looks to wrangle it away to make the playoffs. Fortunately, Stafford will have one of the better receiver units on his side in 2025.
