Rams' Offseason Needs Made Clear In Seahawks Loss

By Evan Copeland

Despite being less than a month from a gut-wrenching NFC Championship defeat, talk of the future has surrounded the Los Angeles Rams as they gear up for the offseason.

A phenomenal run for Sean McVay’s team has proved they are a true juggernaut of the NFL, but the loss at Lumen Field has given McVay and GM Les Snead all the answers they need to take the Rams to the next level.

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As is common in sports, fans will no doubt have numerous strategies of how the franchise can claim the Lombardi Trophy in 2027. However, the true needs appear far simpler, grouped under the three S’s: Stafford, Special Teams and Secondary.

The situation surrounding Rams’ quarterback Matthew Stafford remains delicately poised, as was the case last offseason. Contract disputes and trade rumours, coupled with a significant back injury, saw Stafford’s pre-season heavily disrupted. Despite this, his production this season has been second-to-none, leading the league in passing yards and touchdowns to establish himself as MVP favourite.

After Sunday night’s devastating defeat, Stafford was questioned about his future and possible retirement after 17 seasons in the league. A cryptic response left more questions than answers and should be triggering alarm bells in the franchise front office.

He remains a pivotal cornerstone of this team, and if this year is anything to go by, he is not slowing down. Securing his future is essential and should be the top priority for Snead and McVay this offseason.

Going back to the NFC Championship, the two Achilles heels of the team came back to bite them on Sunday night, arguably the biggest reason for the Seahawks victory.

Beginning with the Special Teams department and an issue that has plagued McVay throughout the season. Whether it be blocked field goals, punts or fumbles on a punt return, the unit has continually lost the team games, with the latter a major contribution to Sunday’s outcome.

So, what can be done to fix the issue and ensure similar problems won’t occur next season? The team had already replaced a kicker and a special teams coordinator during the regular season, with reports suggesting that Cleveland Browns coordinator Bubba Ventrone could be the next to take on the role in LA.

Special teams is often a crucial and undervalued aspect of what it takes to win. After totalling a point deficit of only 21 in their six combined losses this season, a fix in that department could take the team to new heights in 2026.    

Finally, the Rams secondary has provided a blemish on what has otherwise been an excellent defensive unit under DC Chris Shula this season. A talented defensive line and an excellent linebacking core have transformed the team into one of the league’s best defences, but a habit of giving up big games to receivers has proved their undoing on numerous occasions, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba the latest to benefit.

Snead has the opportunity to make the necessary improvements, both in free agency and the draft. The Rams are projected to have around $45 million in cap space for 2026, while holding the 13th and 29th pick in this year’s draft. Superstar safety Caleb Downs appears just out of reach, but the team are linked with multiple cornerbacks including Jermod McCoy out of Tennessee.

This strategy was recently proven, with the Philadelphia Eagles drafting two corners with their first two picks in 2024 on the way to a Super Bowl victory. The team could look to extend the likes of Kam Curl and Cobie Durant for depth, and when paired with free agency or draft pickups this could completely revolutionise the SoFi secondary.

This franchise is at the top of its game, with talent everywhere you look. A Stafford-led offense remains one of the league’s best. They have a superb defensive front seven that will keep getting better every year. Sean McVay is already on his way to being an all time great. The positives vastly outweigh the negatives for a team that is already excellent. If this offseason is executed perfectly, they could be unstoppable in their pursuit of a second Lombardi trophy, back at SoFi Stadium.

EVAN COPELAND

NFL ANALYST

Evan is a Los Angeles Rams fan and sports journalism student at Lincoln University, with a keen interest in NFL writing, alongside golf and football. You can keep up with all of his content on X at @EvanCopeland26.

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