Ram Digest

Three Keys The Rams Must Execute This Offseason

The Los Angeles Rams have several must-dos that will decide the fate of their 2026 campaign
Jan 4, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA;  Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay stands on the sidelines against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Jan 4, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay stands on the sidelines against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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WOODLAND HILLS, Ca. The Los Angeles Rams have a lot of work to do to build a championship-level roster, but these three keys are musts if they hope to once again lift the Lombardi Trophy from SoFi Stadium.

1. The Rams Must Make A Splash Trade

If the Rams use their two first round picks on rookies, that would probably be viewed as a success but the trade market is too hot and for an organization that knows they are on borrowed time with Matthew Stafford, this is the offseason to make a dramatic push.

Matthew Stafford
Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) embraces Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) after the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Pass rusher, outside corner, and wide receiver are critical areas, but one star player could be the major difference in making it to the NFC Championship and winning a Super Bowl.

2. The Rams Need To Retain Kam Curl and Cobie Durant to Set Up A Pivotal Move At Corner

There is no doubt that the Rams need to make a move at outside corner but as important as it is to bring in a player, either through free agency or during the draft to be that lockdown player, it's as important to set up the secondary so that whomever they bring in has the platform to grow into the player the Rams need him to be.

Kam Curl
Jan 18, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Los Angeles Rams safety Kam Curl (3) acknowledges the crowd with safety Kamren Kinchens (26) after intercepting a pass intended for Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore (not pictured) during overtime of an NFC Divisional Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Kam Curl plays virtually every snap and he does his job well. His ability to play a variety of roles gives the Rams defensive flexibility while allowing Quentin Lake to play every snap at slot corner/ linebacker. He also allows Kam Kinchens to drop into the box, if Chris Shula wishes to run a single-high safety look.

Cobie Durant would join Emmanuel Forbes in the three-man outside corner rotation, thus setting up the Rams to add a third player to be the lockdown guy. If the Rams do hit on whomever they select, they can use their top corner to take out the oppositions' number two wide receiver, while doubling their WR1. Thus, the setup is as important as the execution.

3. Time To Flash The Cash

The Rams will likely have over $40 million to spend in free agency and for their draft picks. With that much money comes the possibility to make bold moves on the market and while the Rams shouldn't be cheap, they must splash the cash on their 2023 NFL Draft class before their values go through the roof next season.

Puka Nacua
Feb 2, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua (left) and linebacker Byron Young (0) pose during NFC practice at the NFL Flag Fieldhouse at Moscone Center South Building. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Puka Nacua, Kobie Turner, Byron Young, Warren McClendon, Ethan Evans, and more are entering the final year of their deals, so it's time to pay up so contract disputes do not become an issue in training camp.

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Brock Vierra
BROCK VIERRA

Brock Vierra, a UNLV graduate, is the Los Angeles Rams Beat Writer On Sports Illustrated. He also works as a college football reporter for our On Sports Illustrated team.