The one burning question that will continue to haunt the Los Angeles Rams following the 2026 NFL Draft
The Los Angeles Rams didn’t do much to their roster in the 2026 NFL Draft, prompting several questions about their Super Bowl window.
The Los Angeles Rams only made five selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, giving them their smallest class in a decade. They didn’t address any of their roster needs with the picks as well, keeping the same holes they had entering the draft.
Following the draft, the Rams admitted they felt like they didn’t have any needs on the roster. That is a risky approach, and it’s one that is worth questioning.
Perhaps the biggest question here is simple.
Did the Los Angeles Rams do enough?
The Rams seem content publicly to say they don’t think they have any holes on the roster. That type of thinking is rather hubristic, if you ask me. They seem to genuinely believe in the line of thought that they were just a cornerback (or two) away from the Super Bowl.
If it were me, I’d spend the whole offseason wondering if what I did was enough. Was just Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson enough at cornerback? If one of them get hurt, Emmanuel Forbes is right back in the starting lineup. You’re practically right back to last season at that point.
Is not adding a real linebacker going to be enough with the entire league adopting heavy personnel? You could argue Omar Speights’ missed tackles were just as much of a reason they lost to Seattle as their cornerbacks were. Are you ok with continuing to trust these guys in coverage when everyone else hits you with receiving tight ends?
Is not adding a legitimate wide receiver to the top of their rotation going to bite them? Expecting the rest of the roster to become those caliber of receivers is a steep projection, considering the Rams have a bunch of unathletic, maxed out receivers in the room. That showed up in the divisional round against Chicago. Are you comfortable with Xavier Smith once again as the primary returner? Remember the muffed punt?
Have you done a good enough job protecting Matthew Stafford at his age after he was sacked 10 times in the final five games of last season? It’s the same offensive line plus another swing tackle. When the team had to pass, they couldn’t hold up last season. Their tackles’ inability to win on an island isn’t going to fix itself, it’s an athleticism issue.
Can you afford to have passed on a blue-chip talent for a low-upside quarterback who won’t play, by your own words, for years without an injury to Stafford?
The definition of insanity
To simply acknowledge that “We don’t have any needs” is a prayer that every result will continue to hold from last year. You’re hoping there aren’t any major injuries and that there’s no regression anywhere. Additionally, you’re hoping several athletically maxed out players will become much better than they are, even if they don’t have a lot of upside.
The rest of the league is playing catch-up. You won’t run into the 49ers with half the roster out with injuries next year. Seattle is just as strong. The Eagles only got better in the offseason. The Bears are a rising threat who almost beat you last year. Same with the Carolina Panthers. The Falcons beat them in Week 17 and look much better heading into next season. Tampa Bay likely won’t be as down on their luck again. Jayden Daniels returns for the Commanders. The Cowboys could be legitimate NFC contenders with their additions.
Simply hoping that the results stay the same as they were last year without a change in your process is the height of arrogance. This offseason should have been about nipping as many of those concerns in the bud. Instead, they all remain.
Let’s hope it’s enough.
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