The Los Angeles Rams began the season ravaged by injuries. Many of their key players began the year on injured reserve, and it caused the team to be slow out of the gate. A third of the way through the season, many had written off the Rams. Once Puka Nacua came back into the lineup, the offense found its groove, and Los Angeles won the NFC West. They had a chance to beat the Philadelphia Eagles on the final drive but failed to convert, ending their season in the divisional round. Here are three important questions for the Rams this offseason.
1. Can The Los Angeles Rams Squeeze One More Run Out Of Matthew Stafford?
Two years ago, the Los Angeles Rams were worried about how long Stafford could be their quarterback. He was coming off a spinal injury, and many wondered whether his career was over. In the past two seasons, he has put any talk of him being washed to bed. While he isn’t lighting up the stat sheet, he is putting up solid numbers. Stafford threw for 3,762 yards, 20 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. However, the former number-one overall pick is 37 and is in the twilight of his career. He has hinted he might be ready to hang it up. If he does stay, can they squeeze out another run?
The good news is the Rams have done the right things to surround an aging quarterback. Kyren Williams is a quality running back who takes the pressure off the passing game. The defense has the potential to be dominant next year, taking more pressure off the quarterback to score 30+ points every game. They have one more run in them though it may not be a bad idea to try and start the search for a successor.
2. Are The Rams A Couple Of Pieces From A Dominant Defense?
When Aaron Donald retired from the Los Angeles Rams, opposing teams jumped for joy. The future Hall of Famer wouldn’t terrorize them anymore. It is the Rams who are getting the last laugh. They invested in their defensive line in the draft, and it has worked out well. Jared Verse and Brandon Fiske had excellent seasons and are both finalists for the Defensive Rookie of the Year. Verse had 66 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 18 quarterback hits, 11 tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles. Fiske had 44 tackles, 8.5 sacks, ten quarterback hits, ten tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles.
The front seven has looked dominant. If the Los Angeles Rams can add a couple more pieces, especially in the secondary, this defense has the potential to be elite in 2025. After years of trading away their first-round picks, they finally had something to do on the first night of the draft, and they nailed it. What should scare the league even more was the performance Verse had in the playoffs. He showed up in high-pressure moments. The NFC will have to watch out next year for this unit.
3. What Do The Rams Do With Cooper Kupp?
The Los Angeles Rams are in a tricky spot with Cooper Kupp. It wasn’t that long ago that the receiver won the triple crown in receiving and dominated in the Super Bowl. While injuries have been a factor, Kupp is following the trajectory of many aging receivers. His stats this year fell off a cliff. In the last seven games, including the playoffs, he only caught 18 passes for 235 yards and one touchdown. To make matters worse he carries a cap hit of $29.7 million in 2025.
What does the team do? They could try and see if another team would want to take on the salary. A contending team could convince themselves to take a risk for the upside. However, the Rams fit that bill perfectly. They want to make one more run, and having a player like Kupp around is never a bad thing, production aside. If I had to bet on it, the Los Angeles Rams would keep Kupp. They may have to restructure, but they find a way to keep him and keep their big offensive pieces together in 2025.
Final Thoughts
The Los Angeles Rams started out the season slow but showed how dangerous this team can be when everyone is healthy. They are a team to watch in 2025. If they don’t have players on injured reserve for half the year, they could be one of the top teams in the conference for the whole season.
