Revisiting key Rams questions from before the draft

I posed five Rams questions before the draft, and they gave us the answers this weekend

Before the NFL Draft I posed five questions as to what the Los Angeles Rams were planning. They gave us answers over the weekend and it’s time to revisit those items and attempt to unravel the team’s plans for 2025 and beyond.

1 – When do the Rams prepare for life after Matthew Stafford?

Answer: Not this year, but you can see the vision

We will never know if the Rams would have entertained Jaxson Dart in the first round because the New York Giants traded up in front of them to #25 to select their QB of the future. There were no signs that LA was going to take a quarterback this year outside of the unknown with Dart.

By trading down from #26 with the Atlanta Falcons, LA picked up an extra first rounder in 2026. Depending on how successful Atlanta is next year, this could either be a premium selection or packaged as ammunition to go get a long-term quarterback of the future—veteran or rookie.

Stafford is a year-to-year proposition with the Rams. 2026 could be the time to invest in his heir apparent.

2 – Are the Rams content at corner?

Answer: Seems like it, mostly

LA didn’t select a single corner in this class. In the second round they passed on Ole Miss’ Trey Amos.

I wrote pre-draft that it seems the Rams were solving with a quantity over quality approach with Darious Williams, Cobie Durant, Ahkello Witherspoon, Derion Kendrick, and Emmanuel Forbes. They are now in the mix for a reunion with Jalen Ramsey.

They might just roll with veteran stop gap options for the foreseeable future, as none of these players are guaranteed a spot on the roster in 2026 and beyond.

3 – How much does Rob Havenstein have left in the tank?

Answer: Havenstein may be the long-term plan at RT

Similarly to corner and quarterback, the Rams opted to not future-proof the right tackle position.

Rob Havenstein enters the final year of his contract and is now a prime candidate for a contract extension. He likely has some gas in the tank considering that Andrew Whitworth was able to play around age 40. Still, injuries have been a factor for Havenstein in recent years and that can be tough for any individual towards the end of his career. Havenstein is the only remaining carryover from the Rams’ days in St. Louis.

4 – Is this the year the Rams call an audible at linebacker?

Answer: Chris Paul, Jr. will compete for starting role

It’s difficult to say that a fifth round draft pick can come in and start day one, but given the Rams’ current depth at off-ball linebacker that may be in their best interest. In fairness, Chris Paul, Jr. fell further than most experts expected.

While these are tall expectations, Paul will compete with Troy Reeder, Nate Landman, Omar Speights, and UDFA Shaun Dolac to become the team’s starting linebacker.

5 – Can Les Snead keep his hot streak alive?

Answer: It’s complicated

Perhaps the best draft choice for the Rams in 2025 was the one they didn’t make, and that was moving back from #26 and going into next year with two first round picks.

The Rams’ roster is simply in better shape than it was a year ago. There are few avenues to easy playing time outside of maybe linebacker which we’ve covered. Top pick Terrance Ferguson might not play much if Tyler Higbee remains healthy. While third round pick Josaiah Stewart may be able to carve out a rotation role at EDGE, it’s unlikely that he unseats Byron Young as a starter.

LA’s had rookie of the year candidates on both sides of the ball over the last two years in Puka Nacua, Kobie Turner, Jared Verse, and Braden Fiske. Those players all stepped in immediately as day one starters, and this year’s crop simply won’t have that luxury barring injury.

While in the long run this could be another stellar draft class for Les Snead, it’s reasonably possibly we don’t see the same short-term dividends.