How Myles Garrett Trade Could Impact Impending Rams Free Agents Like Puca Nacua

The Los Angeles Rams are back to using high draft picks and trading for proven stars when it comes to their overall team build. Back when the Rams won the Super Bowl in 2021, the Rams used first-round picks to trade for cornerback Jalen Ramsey and quarterback Matthew Stafford. Just this offseason, the Rams used first-round picks to trade for cornerback Trent McDuffie and edge rusher Myles Garrett.

Over the past few seasons, the Rams have used draft picks to replenish their roster. While the team reset their cap, the Rams drafted talent such as Byron Young, Kobie Turner, Puka Nacua, and Steve Avila. Those players helped build a strong foundation, but the Rams still needed players that could help get them over the hump.

That’s where McDuffie and Garrett come into play. Both of those players will help improve the Rams’ defense in areas where they struggled in 2025. Last season, it was the secondary that ended up being the Achilles heel of the defense while the pass rush disappeared in big moments at times.

Immediately after the Rams traded for McDuffie, they signed him to a large extension. Garrett comes with his four-year, $160 million contract that he signed last September.

It’s an interesting team-building approach and one that the Rams take to the extreme. They’ve consistently had success at taking big swings on proven players. That is the approach once again as the Rams enter a Super Bowl window.

Still, after trading a young star like Jared Verse, it’s fair to wonder what happens with players such as Puka Nacua, Byron Young, Steve Avila, Kobie Turner, and others. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the early impression is that the Rams won’t extend those upcoming free agents.

https://x.com/JFowlerESPN/status/2061503276659486858?s=20

Fowler notes that it’s possible that changes, but deals are not on the radar right now. This is how the Rams approached things while they were in a Super Bowl window from 2018-2021. The Rams didn’t re-sign key players such as Trumaine Johnson, Rodger Saffold, Cory Littleton, and John Johnson III.

However, if the Rams are taking this approach, it’s also part of the process. If the Rams are trading away draft picks, they also need a way to recoup some of them. The way that the Rams have done this in the past is with compensatory picks. Between 2019 and 2023, the Rams made 16 compensatory selections.

The Rams haven’t always valued high draft capital but that doesn’t mean that they don’t value draft picks. Despite trading away first-round picks, the Rams had an average of 9.7 picks per draft between 2019 and 2024. During the 2023 draft, the Rams didn’t pick in the first round, but it’s arguably the draft that sparked their quick turnaround after 2022.

That’s not to say that the Rams won’t extend a player like Nacua. However, it’s always partially why difficult decisions will need to be made. If the Rams are paying Garrett, can they afford Byron Young at $30 million per year? That doesn’t even mention that Josaiah Stewart is developing. If the Rams are still partially operating in Matthew Stafford’s timeline, does it make more sense to extend Kevin Dotson over Steve Avila? For as good as Kobie Turner is, can they invest less on the defensive line with Garrett there to pick up the slack and open opportunities for others?

The truly difficult decision comes with Puka Nacua, who has a market value of $38.9 million. It’s possible that the Rams prioritize him, but it may happen at the end of the year as Nacua continues to show that he’s matured after the off-field drama over the past six months.

This is the balancing act that the Rams will have to manage as they push for another Super Bowl. They’ve never been afraid to make difficult roster decisions, and that’s because of their trust in the scouting process and coaching staff to develop players. That will likely lead to losing good players in free agency. However, the Rams have had success with that approach in the past and will look to repeat that over the next few years.

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