The Los Angeles Rams have spent big in free agency, double-dipping at cornerback, which should bode well for Chris Shula’s unit. Given the improved personnel in the secondary, there should be no more excuses for Shula and the defense in 2026.
For starters, stealing Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson from the Chiefs immediately vaults the defense to championship-caliber. Cornerback has been the weak point for the unit in the last two seasons, especially last season. It’s safe to say that the Rams now have one, if not the best, secondary in the NFL thanks to the McDuffie and Watson additions.
Because of the front office’s early investments in the defense, Shula was recognized as one of the league’s biggest winners to kick off free agency. When L.A. lost in 2025, it was primarily because they didn’t have enough standouts to prevent big-play receivers from doing damage. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell said in his March 10 column that “the Rams won’t have that same problem in 2026.”
“After the Rams added Watson and McDuffie, I wouldn’t be shocked if they leaned even further into nickel and dime groupings in 2026. They’ll likely lose Cobie Durant, but between Curl, Forbes, Kamren Kinchens and Quentin Lake, there’s suddenly a deep, robust secondary here. The Rams were already the ninth-best defense by EPA per play last season, and now they’ve plugged the biggest hole on their team with two standouts. Watch out.”
The Rams were unable to get over the hump in the widest-open NFL season in years, due to defensive inconsistencies. Los Angeles gave up 31.0 points per loss this past season, which was the most among the eight teams with six or fewer losses. So it’s not a shock at all why they failed to get past the Seahawks in the NFC Championship.
Reinforcements were very much needed in the secondary for the Rams, the main reason why they raided the Chiefs’ defense this offseason. It’s widely expected that the NFL will largely be stronger than it was in ‘25, so loading up at a key position is essential to the team’s Super Bowl chances.
The Rams should have a top defense this fall, and Chris Shula will have zero excuses if he cannot get them there.
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