The Los Angeles Rams are entering an important 2025 season in which many see them as potential Super Bowl contenders. This is a team that came up just short against the Philadelphia Eagles in the playoffs last year. They went out and signed Davante Adams in free agency and seem ready to assert themselves among the NFL’s top contenders.
Still, that outlook has somewhat already gone off the rails before the season has even begun. Left tackle Alaric Jackson is managing blood clots in his legs. That storyline has almost become forgotten about as Matthew Stafford deals with an aggravated disc in his back.
ESPN recently put out their best and worst case scenarios for each team heading into the 2025 season. The ceiling for the Rams was 11-6 with their floor being 7-10. According to ESPN’s Sarah Barshop, the Rams’ offensive line is the x-factor. Said Barshop,
“A big part of this is how healthy the unit is, and how healthy it can stay. It’s unknown whether left tackle Alaric Jackson, who is dealing with blood clots in his lower leg, will be ready to start Week 1, and him missing any time would be a huge blow for the Rams’ hopes at another double-digit-win season. That unit will be especially important in 2025, as veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford deals with back soreness entering his 17th season.”
It’s hard to disagree with Barshop as the Rams offensive line has been directly connected to their success in the past. The slow starts in both 2023 and 2024 were primarily due to injuries on the offensive line. In 2022, the Rams had a historic number of injuries on the offensive line.
Still, given the moves that the Rams made this season, a ceiling of 11-6 seems low. This is a team that if healthy should be right there with the best in the NFC. Additionally, while Jimmy Garoppolo could certainly keep the ship afloat, if the Rams are relying on Garoppolo and a hurt offensive line, they may be looking at a record worse than 7-10. Here are my best and worst case scenarios for the Rams.
Rams Best Case Scenario
Again, this is a team that gave the Eagles the biggest run for their money in the postseason. The Rams were 14 yards away from potentially hosting the NFC Championship game and they would have been favored to beat the Washington Commanders.
In the offseason, the front office went out and signed Poona Ford to help their run defense. They also added Davante Adams at wide receiver to add some explosiveness and a red zone threat at the position. This was something that the Rams lost last year with Cooper Kupp not being at 100 percent.
There are certainly some questions about the Rams defense and the secondary. However, Chris Shula’s defense was playing at a near top-10 level towards the end of the year. With another year in the system and continuity at all three levels, it’s possible to see another step forward. In a best case scenario, Matthew Stafford missing practice is all precautionary and DJ Humphries is able to hold down the left side while Jackson is out.
The Rams are seen as potential Super Bowl contenders for a reason. If the offense can become more explosive, this is once again a unit that can be one of the most difficult to stop in 2025. The Rams don’t have an easy schedule by any means, but a 13-4 record is certainly on the table. If they accomplish that, it could be enough to earn a top seed and home field advantage through the playoffs. This is the best case scenario and in a best case scenario, the Rams are definitely in the running to hoist the Lombardi Trophy one more time with Matthew Stafford under center.
Rams Worst Case Scenario
With all of the expectations heading into the 2025 season, it would certainly be disappointing if the Rams fell massively short of those. However, it is certainly within the realm of possibility. The Rams have two major question marks at two positions in which you don’t want question marks. While the team may be confident that Stafford would play Week 1, it’s fair to have concerns about everything that happens after that. Stafford’s back has become such a storyline that Jackson’s blood clots have become almost an afterthought. This is the most important position on the offensive line and a player that the Rams just extended this offseason.
One of the keys for 2025 was for the Rams not to have another slow start. With that said, given the concerns at left tackle and quarterback, it’s very possible that another slow start is on the table. That’s especially the case considering three of the Rams’ first seven opponents are against the Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles, and Baltimore Ravens with the last two of those games being on the road. They also have two other games against teams that could be on the rise in the San Francisco 49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars. A 2-5 record is on the table before the Rams hit the bye week.
This past offseason, the Rams opted not to address some of the concerns at the cornerback position and are rolling with Ahkello Witherspoon and Darious Williams. It just feels as if the Rams are attempting to thread a needle at several positions and the margin for error is very small. The stars almost need to align perfectly for all of their risks to pay off.
Heading into next year’s draft, the Rams will have two first round picks. When the Rams acquired the pick from the Atlanta Falcons, it was thought that the Falcons pick would be the higher of the two. That may not be as guaranteed as it once was. Again, in a worst case scenario that includes Matthew Stafford missing time, the offensive line having health issues, and the secondary remaining a concern, the Rams can absolutely miss the playoffs. In a worst case scenario, it’s possible that this Rams team finishes 6-11 which would put them in contention for a top-10 pick next April.
See More:
