Which position groups should have Rams fans concerned heading into the summer?
The Los Angeles Rams have broken for the summer break and will return for training camp in mid-July. At this point, the roster is pretty set and any addition outside of a big trade would be minimal. Still, there are still questions at certain position groups. Let’s take a look at the position groups that I’m most concerned about heading into the summer.
1. Defensive Front
This position group includes the Rams defensive line and edge rushers. It only makes sense to include them in the same category as they work in tandem. With Jared Verse, Kobie Turner, and Braden Fiske, the Rams already had one of the best defensive fronts in the NFL. Byron Young is a good complementary edge rusher and then the Rams signed Poona Ford in free agency.
Last year, this is a group that didn’t have many glaring weaknesses. If there was one, it was stopping the run and Ford will provide a boost there. In fantasy football, there is sometimes a player or position group that you can just “set it and forget it.” That’s the defensive front for the Rams. This group ranked inside the top-10 in quarterback pressure rate last season and will continue to grow together in 2025. If there is any concern heading into next season, it’s wondering whether or not they can sustain the success from last year.
Concern Level: 2/10
2. Quarterback
There isn’t a lot to worry about when Matthew Stafford is under center. With Stafford at quarterback, the Rams have the chance to win every single game. That was the case last season in the win against the Buffalo Bills in which Stafford outplayed Josh Allen. When Stafford is on, he is a top-five quarterback in the NFL. If the Rams can get that Stafford over a stretch of four games, that’s enough to win a Super Bowl.
If there is a concern with Stafford it is his age and level of consistency. From Weeks 1-9 last year, Stafford ranked 22nd in EPA per play. That was slightly better over the second half of the season as Stafford was 12th. However, much of that was impacted by the performance against the Bills. The Rams need Stafford to show more consistency in 2025 if they’re going to take the next step. Behind Stafford, the Rams have Jimmy Garoppolo who can be trusted to run the offense.
Concern Level: 3/10
3. Wide Receiver
In a Sean McVay offense, wide receivers are rarely a concern. While the team cut Cooper Kupp, they also signed Davante Adams to pair with Puka Nacua. That duo will be one of the most threatening to opposing defenses in the NFL next season. Adams may not be the caliber of player that he was three years ago, but he can still be a top-20 wide receiver. That’s enough for what the Rams need.
Where things get interesting is behind Adams and Nacua. The Rams re-signed Atwell who has never been consistently deployed in a full-time role. Jordan Whittington showed flashes at the beginning of last year, but didn’t see much time in the offense. There is some upside here and both players have proven it in limited opportunities. However, more will be expected of them, especially Atwell this season.
Concern Level: 3.5/10
4. Specialists
Ethan Evans significantly improved from his rookie season into year two. He had the fifth-most punts land inside the 20 and had the ninth-highest net yardage per punt. There is still room for improvement, but Evans took significant positive strides last season.
One would expect Karty to take that same jump as he goes into year two. There were certainly some bumps during Karty’s rookie season, but by the end of the year, he found a level of consistency. He finished the year 17-for-17 on field goal attempts which included being 3-for-3 on kicks of 50 or more yards. Karty needs to carry that momentum into 2025, but the Rams may have found their kicker.
Concern Level: 4/10
5. Running Back
The Rams running back room is much deeper than it has been over the last two years. Back in 2023, the team was forced to sign Royce Freeman and Darrell Henderson in the middle of the season while Kyren Williams was injured. That led to the Rams drafting Blake Corum. They also drafted Jarquez Hunter in the fourth round in April. The Rams are three deep at the position and now it will be up to Sean McVay on how to deploy them.
All of the concerns with the Rams running back room stems from Williams. He had five fumbles last season which doesn’t include a sixth that occurred in the NFC Playoffs against the Philadelphia Eagles. There are some concerns about Blake Corum’s development as he comes off of an injury. With that said, more should be expected of Corum in year two. Hunter should also add an element of explosiveness. This is a position group that has depth, but they need to show how they work together.
Concern Level: 5/10
6. Tight End
With Tyler Higbee injured, the Rams didn’t get a lot of production from their tight ends. In fact, Rams tight ends ranked 28th in targets. Colby Parkinson was one of the Rams’ free agent signings and had just 294 yards last season. Tyler Higbee played in three regular season games and had more touchdowns than Parkinson.
The Rams drafted Terrance Ferguson in the second round, but there is still some uncertainty on what his usage will look like. Higbee will be an offseason removed from the injury, but is getting older. Until Ferguson’s role is clearer, it’s hard to have a lot of confidence in this group.
Concern Level: 5.5/10
7. Linebacker
The linebacker position comes in at number seven on this list, but it may not accurately depict the excitement around the players here. This may be one of the more exciting linebacker groups that the Rams have had in a while. Still, like the tight end position, it’s hard to know how successful they’ll be until they step on the field.
Omar Speights played well last year, but has limitations in coverage. How much of a step he takes will be imperative to this group’s success. The Rams seem excited about Nate Landman. With that said, Landman has mostly been a rotational player in his career. In a game he started last season, he played 29.9 percent of the defensive snaps. Chris Paul Jr. may be seen as a draft steal, but he may not start until late in the year and will need an opportunity to arise. Again, there is some excitement here, but also still a good level of concern.
Concern Level: 6.5/10
8. Safety
Much like linebacker, there is a lot to like about the Rams safeties. Quentin Lake has been a staple in the secondary and has played well as a nickel in the slot. The Rams were excited about Kam Curl last year and he should have a better year two. This is a team that has consistently done well developing safeties and Jaylen McCollough was no exception.
However, this is a group that has a tendency to give up the big play over the top and can struggle tackling in the open field. That’s one area in which Kam Kinchens needs to improve. There is upside here, but players like Kinchens and Curl need to show improvement.
Concern Level: 7/10
9. Offensive Line
Even before Alaric Jackson was diagnosed with blood clots, there was reason to be concerned about the Rams offensive line. This is a group with a lot of unknown depth, especially at tackle. With the Jackson diagnosis, it’s hard to feel good about the tackle situation, especially considering Rob Havenstein’s age on the other side. Steve Avila will need to make serious improvements on the left side at guard.
The Rams had opportunities to address the tackle position this offseason and opted not to. There is a scenario in which the bottom falls out and this is a team left navigating the situation up front all season. That can’t happen if the Rams are going to make a deep playoff run. Coleman Shelton was brought in at center to replace Beaux Limmer. This group has the upside to be in the top-12 in the NFL, but they need to stay healthy. The season hasn’t started and they are already behind in that regard.
Concern Level: 8/10
10. Cornerback
The Rams entered the offseason with a need at cornerback and didn’t address the position at all. In free agency, they simply brought back Ahkello Witherspoon. During the draft, they didn’t select a single player at cornerback. There have been positive reports on the development of Emmanuel Forbes, but this is a group that really could have used a solid physical presence on the outside.
It’s possible that the Rams could trade for Jalen Ramsey. If that happens, it would be an upgrade and it would help the level of concern. The Rams cornerbacks played better down the stretch, but it’s worth wondering if that will carry into this season. This group is heavily dependent on the pass rush getting to the quarterback. If that doesn’t happen, the Rams cornerbacks will struggle.
Concern Level: 8.5/10
