Each rapid transfer that the Los Angeles Rams have made this offseason is a transfer that helps the protection. The Rams didn’t do something to assist the offense subsequent season—that we learn about but, at the very least.
Third-round choose Keagan Trost may very well be the closest to seeing the sector, amongst new gamers on offense. Each single starter, and many of the key backups, had been on L.A.’s roster final 12 months. So will it’s the identical? Sure and no.
These 5 predictions might be acquainted, however completely different.
Matthew Stafford doesn’t attain 4,000 yards
The additions of Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie, and Jaylen Watson ought to assist the Rams enable fewer factors in 2026, giving Sean McVay extra alternatives to lean on a balanced, ball-control offense. A greater protection means fewer shootouts, extra fourth-quarter leads, and fewer Sundays wherein Stafford has to throw 40 or 45 passes simply to maintain tempo.
That’s good for the Rams, even when it’s unhealthy for Stafford’s MVP case.
Stafford threw for 4,707 yards in his MVP marketing campaign, solely the second 4,000-yard season of his Rams profession. Each of these seasons required roughly 600 go makes an attempt.
In 2024, Stafford tried solely 517 passes—his fewest in any profession season with at the very least 11 begins. I count on him to be nearer to 500 makes an attempt than 600 once more in 2026, particularly if the Rams spend extra time defending leads.
However as you may see, Stafford averaged 600 passing makes an attempt within the two seasons with at the very least 4,000 yards. A greater Rams staff means fewer Stafford passing makes an attempt, and therefore fewer yards.
Stafford received’t throw for 4,000 yards.He received’t attain 40 landing passes.He received’t lead the NFL in go makes an attempt.He most likely received’t repeat as MVP.
If Stafford falls in need of one other MVP trophy as a result of the Rams don’t want him to hold the offense each week, Sean McVay will fortunately make that commerce.
Puka Nacua units career-high for yards per sport (Over 108)
This is able to be no small accomplishment provided that Nacua led the NFL with 107.2 yards per sport in 2025, and he’s the all-time profession chief with 95.3 yards per sport in his profession. That quantity figures to go up once more in 2026 and the one query I actually have about Puka Nacua is what number of video games will he really be accessible for?
The simplest solution to undertaking the Rams’ passing offense is to ask one query: Why would Stafford cease throwing to one of the best receiver in soccer?
Nacua’s off-field setbacks have been well-documented, however his damage historical past is the larger impediment at play for his availability.
Nacua missed six video games in 2024 and nonetheless almost reached 1,000 yards anyway.
After Cooper Kupp’s launch in 2025, Nacua was let loose to face no challengers as Stafford’s primary receiver. Not even Davante Adams, who missed three video games and isn’t the high-volume goal risk he was once. Except for Nacua and Adams:
Tutu Atwell was a re-sign bustJordan Whittington is a restricted backup optionTyler Higbee is previous his primeTerrance Ferguson was not prepared for primetimeKyren Williams isn’t a lot as a twin risk again
These details left Stafford with few different choices moreover throwing to Nacua, which is a great alternative anyway as a result of he’s arguably one of the best talent participant within the NFL. Nacua was third within the NFL in yards towards man protection, per Subsequent Gen Stats:
And first in missed tackles on receptions, properly forward of most vast receivers:
What’s modified in 2026 that will make us assume Stafford received’t proceed to feed Nacua like a hungry alligator? Completely nothing.
As a result of the Rams didn’t draft Makai Lemon. They didn’t usher in one other veteran to problem Whittington or Adams. They re-signed Higbee.
L.A.’s second-most focused participant in 2026 may very well be Adams or Colby Parkinson, and Parkinson solely had 56 targets regardless of being such a transparent quantity three possibility.
So whereas I’m stopping in need of declaring that Nacua will attain 1,800 yards as a result of I’m unsure how accessible he’s going to be for 17 video games, I do imagine he may attain 110 yards per sport. Not solely is he gifted, now he’s additionally obtained much more to show.
Blake Corum reaches 1,000 yards
The Rams prolonged Kyren Williams to a three-year, $33 million contract final 12 months, however they’ll have a transparent alternative to pivot in 2027 if L.A. looks like they’ve an possibility who’s simply nearly as good or higher. Corum is the obvious participant to be that possibility and the second half of final season may very well be a sign of that pivot.
Though all these comparisons may be deceptive, Corum rushed for 429 yards and 6.1 YPC within the closing seven video games of the common season:
Kyren rushed for 502 yards and 5.0 YPC in the identical video games:
Once more, this doesn’t imply that Corum is nearly as good or higher.
For one factor, Kyren’s presence may assist Corum’s stats. McVay may very well be setting Corum as much as have higher dashing alternatives when he’s on the sector. And Corum’s pattern dimension is smaller, that means that his subsequent 30 dashing makes an attempt, if he had gotten them, may have averaged 1.5 yards per carry. We simply can’t say for certain.
Nonetheless, we are able to say that Corum was drafted into the NFL with plenty of expertise, the kind of athleticism match for a beginning working again. When L.A. prolonged Williams, they didn’t understand how good Corum may very well be final season.
What we noticed was simply sufficient of a glimpse of a starter to imagine a change may come.
Within the playoffs, Corum averaged 4.6 YPC on 26 makes an attempt, in comparison with 4.2 YPC on 44 makes an attempt for Kyren. This can be a good 1-2 punch, however then there’s Jarquez Hunter, ready within the wings as a latest fourth-round choose as somebody who needs to be the following Blake Corum…in order that he can change into the following Kyren Williams.
If momentum builds from September to December to see extra of Corum, and if the Rams really feel he’s adequate to begin in 2027, L.A. would save over $6.4 million to launch Williams subsequent 12 months. As a result of we all know have a greater concept that Corum is nice sufficient to begin, we shouldn’t be shocked if the change occurs proper underneath our noses.
Max Klare displaces Terrance Ferguson
The choice to draft a second-round tight finish one 12 months after drafting a second-round tight finish needs to be not be instantly dismissed as being unrelated to Sean McVay’s emotions about Ferguson’s first season. Even when it’s coming from McVay himself, who mentioned that the Rams didn’t draft Klare for that motive:
McVay mentioned “they don’t lack anything in any of those four” – referring to Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen and Terrance Ferguson – when requested if the addition of Klare’s talent set was a mirrored image of one thing that wasn’t current within the tight finish room already or extra of what these returning gamers are already good at.
“All four of them are productive in both phases,” McVay mentioned. “So that’s what you’re looking for. If you’re going to be treated like a tight end, you got to be an extension of the run surface. You got to be functional enough that to be used as one of the five eligibles. And so (Klare) does do that.”
Nicely, perhaps that’s how he genuinely feels, or perhaps it’s what McVay ought to say when the staff is just not giving up on Ferguson. Not but.
It appears extra like this to me:
McVay values a TE room with at the very least 3 starting-caliber playersMcVay will run plenty of 12 and 13 personnelMcVay would fairly choose 3 out of 5, fairly than 3 out of 4—as a result of he has doubts
But when the Rams actually felt that good about Ferguson being “productive in both phases”, that means as a receiver and a blocker, would L.A. have drafted Klare? Would they’ve re-signed Higbee? Would they’ve saved Parkinson? Would they haven’t traded Allen?
The Rams go into coaching camp with 5 tight ends worthy of the 53-man roster, plus their highest-paid undrafted free agent in Dan Villari.
I don’t count on Villari to make the roster, however what do you think about will occur if Villari is excellent subsequent month? They’re not going to chop him.
Followers don’t use the phrase “disastrous” for rookies. They count on errors. And with McVay, they count on rookies to spend a 12 months within the doghouse. However Ferguson’s rookie 12 months was unhealthy, irrespective of the way you take a look at it. Previous to catching a landing in every of the final two video games, Ferguson had caught solely 6 of 17 targets:
In his first playoff sport, he went 1-of-5, however to be honest that was in Chicago.
McVay has by no means expressed any issues about Ferguson, insisting that he’s on the precise developmental path, however context clues paint a unique image. Klare has an opportunity now to show that not all rookies must reside in McVay’s doghouse.
There are solely so many snaps to go round, so if Parkinson finally ends up as TE1, and Higbee at the very least calls for a task as considered one of McVay’s favorites, the place does that depart Klare, Ferguson, and Allen?
It implies that it takes solely the smallest of margins for Klare to displace Ferguson on the pecking order. This isn’t a TE3 turning into a TE1. That is the case of a TE4 turning into a TE3, if Ferguson can’t maintain him off.
Klare had little subject being a staple of each the Purdue and Ohio State offenses in every of the final two seasons of faculty. With a powerful coaching camp, Klare would possibly find yourself being a Matthew Stafford favourite sooner than the tight finish who was drafted a 12 months forward of him.
Rams lead NFL in effectivity, not scoring
Final season, the Rams led the NFL in scoring at 30.5 factors per sport, however they received’t repeat in 2026. As a substitute, L.A. will enhance on their effectivity per play, which is much more essential than scoring.
As a result of it’s not about scoring plenty of factors. It’s about scoring probably the most factors.
This wouldn’t be a daring prediction. The Rams didn’t simply lead the NFL in offensive DVOA final season, they crushed the sector by a mile, rating lightyears forward of the 49ers and rating first in each passing and dashing DVOA in 2025:
These numbers per FTNFantasy.
Effectivity ought to proceed the identical. Perhaps scoring slows down a bit.
As famous earlier than, a greater protection means there’s much less of a necessity to attain 40 factors. The Rams had a superb protection final 12 months, however their probabilities may put L.A. into the top-five.
Whenever you take a look at the rival Seahawks:
However not simply that, as a result of Seattle really averaged extra yards per go try in 2025 than the Rams did. The Seahawks, just like the Rams, had effectivity. L.A. was a lot better at working the soccer through the common season.
These matchups ought to as soon as once more be attention-grabbing, similar as those towards San Francisco.
If the Rams don’t lead the NFL in scoring once more, that’s okay. They need to nonetheless be probably the most environment friendly, and that’s even higher.
