Why 2026 will be a Crucial Offseason for Rams

The way teams win football games is unique. There are different styles and systems of offenses, high-end or average-enough defenses to get by, elite players or just one or two that can make an average roster great, an elite coaching staff with brilliant minds, and a front office that wants to win and make smart decisions.

All of this is hard to come by, especially with many of those quality combinations. The best examples right now reside at the top of the NFC and AFC with teams like the Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, and Washington Commanders, just to name a few.

The Los Angeles Rams have a lot of great combinations of both offensive and defensive systems, high-end players, and sharp minds at head coach and general manager. A roster shake-up in recent years has transformed the team into a championship contender once again with a window wide-open once more.

General manager Les Snead has built a roster filled with a number of young players who have come in to contribute immediately, paving the way for the franchise to have one of the youngest rosters in the league. It has helped that several Day 3 selections have hit for the Rams, such as running back Kyren Williams, wide receiver Puka Nacua, cornerback Cobie Durant, and defensive back Quentin Lake.

However, there must be a realization that while Snead has had success in recent years in the NFL Draft and landing sufficent level starters across the board, the 2026 offseason is set to be a crucial one for the Rams.

Success seems imminent for Los Angeles, whether that is another deep playoff run or their second Super Bowl appearance of the decade. Yet, challenges will arise in 2026 when the offseason rolls around with several key players expected to hit the open market, including Williams and Lake, veteran right tackle Rob Havenstein, safety Kamren Curl, and linebackers Nathan Landman and Troy Reeder.

Furthermore, Nacua, left guard Steve Avila, defensive tackle Kobie Turner, and pass rusher Byron Young are eligible for contract extensions, and Snead will likely want to keep them on board for the long term as stalwarts at their respective positions.

Snead will need to hope that younger players from the 2024 and 2025 draft classes begin to step up at their respective positions by the end of the season, as they will likely take on bigger roles. Thankfully, the Rams do have 10 selections in the 2026 draft, including two first-round picks.

Either way, there will be challenges to be aware of and look ahead to for next offseason, even if this season has yet to start. It is time to keep these issues in the back of our minds once the long season begins in two months.