No team has made a bigger splash this offseason than the Los Angeles Rams. Consensus tells us LA has done enough to get over the hump and strive for a Super Bowl run in 2026.
But in some ways there are still a lot of questions on how these investments and puzzle pieces all fit together. Those that win March rarely win in December and January, at least through the lens of traditional free agency. Are we crowning the Rams prematurely?
Let’s take off the rose-colored glasses. This is the contrarian’s guide to the offseason so far.
Add talent, figure the rest out later
Cornerback and the secondary overall was a major reason why the Rams fell short in the NFC Championship game against the Seattle Seahawks. LA pulled nearly every available lever to upgrade and overcorrect for 2026.
It all started with the extension of Quentin Lake midseason. Lake is a hybrid safety and slot corner. His role may be subject to change short-term, though we truly don’t know.
The next domino to fall was the blockbuster trade for Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro Trent McDuffie. Savvy fans know that McDuffie is best in the slot, though this spot has been manned by Lake in recent years. McDuffie is a top-three slot corner in the NFL. He may be closer to top 15 on the outside. In reality he probably plays a hybrid role in Los Angeles in order to make use of his unique skillset; however, questions still remain whether his contributions can outweigh the lofty draft capital sent to KC plus a record-setting contract.
It’s comforting that the Rams followed up the McDuffie trade by signing Jaylen Watson, KC’s physical outside corner. He’s 6-2, 197 lbs. and brings much-needed size to a historically slight Rams corner room. Any concerns about McDuffie holding up against bigger receivers should be mitigated by Watson’s arrival.
LA also was able to re-sign veteran safety Kamren Curl in free agency. Most thought he would receive a hefty pay day and leave for another team. I’m not sure I want to be the team that pays Curl $36M over three years. LA was willing to make the deal.
It’s clear the Rams are more talented at corner than they were in 2026. What we don’t know is how these players are best utilized and whether there is room to maximize their skillsets at the same time. Team building is more complicated than simply collecting talent.
The Curl signing is out of character
LA historically does not invest in the safety position. That’s not a knock on their roster building—they’ve had great success in drafting safeties in the middle rounds and then letting them sign elsewhere in free agency. The prophecy seemed to once again hold true when Curl, after signing a bargain deal two years ago, was slated to make more than $12M annually on the open market.
But the Rams bucked their usual plans and paid up for the veteran safety. It’s tough to balance Super Bowl hopes with letting good players leave in free agency.
Curl isn’t a spectacular player. His best ability is availability and he’s averaged nearly 1,000 snaps per season over his career. Curl rarely misses tackles, though he can be a liability in coverage.
Is that worth $12M per year? Maybe there were no players in this range with kicking the tires on. I think I still would have rather seen someone else pay Curl.
McDuffie & Watson have availability questions
Watson has improved each year he’s been in the NFL. KC drafted him in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He played 750 defensive snaps as a rookie before those numbers dipped into the low 500’s the following two years.
2025 was a career year for Watson in nearly every category. He still played less than 900 snaps. The Rams are expecting Watson to step into a full-time role. That’s an expensive projection when he hasn’t done this before.
McDuffie on the other hand has two seasons with over 1,200 snaps (Super Bowl years for Chiefs). As a rookie he played 883 snaps. 2025 was an injury-abbreviated year for the All-Pro and he was on the field for only 688 defensive plays.
It could be nothing to worry about; however, slot corners play a physical role. McDuffie is slight of frame at 5-11, 193 lbs. Were the Chiefs worried about McDuffie’s ability to stay healthy which resulted in hesitation to re-sign him?
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