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It's the fun of the offseason, so I'll take another stab at this. Since it's so hard to predict this early where guys will fall in the Draft, I'm going to generally try to adhere to this consensus big board: https://www.nflmockdraftdatabase.com/big-boards/2025/consensus-big-board-2025. What I mean by that is won't draft guys lower than 10 picks of where they are on the big board. I may draft some guys higher because I like them. There are also some players I anticipate going higher than they are rated, so I will stick to my gut on them and not take them at the lower spot. Cut
TE Colby Parkinson (Post June 1st)
CB Darious Williams
Unfortunately, our 2024 FA class was mostly a dud. Parkinson is one of those duds. His snap count dropped as the season progressed. I don't know what McVay saw, but he clearly didn't love it. D-Will provided solid play, but he's aging and not worth the cap number. Plus, we need more size at CB. It's why I am choosing Spoon on a cheap deal over D-Will.
Re-sign
LT Alaric Jackson (franchise and extend)
CB Ahkello Witherspoon
WR DeMarcus Robinson
WR Tyler Johnson
OL Dylan McMahon (ERFA)
I think we have to keep Jackson. He's a solid LT, the position is in demand, and we don't need to be trotting out a rookie on Stafford's blindside. I expect Witherspoon is a cheap re-sign. He's not great, but he's a competent player and gives us size in the secondary. McVay seems to love D-Rob, and with him facing a suspension, he's likely to be a relatively cheap re-sign. Johnson will also be a cheap depth re-sign. We try to keep Hoecht and Brown, but we're outbid for their services.
Free Agency
ILB Zack Baun
Baun is a risky signing because he's a one-year wonder at this point, but he was also arguably the best ILB in football this year. I loved him coming out of Wisconsin and was hoping the Rams would draft him and convert him to an ILB. I don't think this year will prove to be a mirage. We need an impact player at LB. Baun can be that.
CB Paulson Adebo
This year's CB class has a handful of interesting options. Adebo is the youngest of them. He's more of a ballhawk than a shutdown CB, but after a rough start to his career, he's been outstanding the past year and a half. I say year and a half because he broke his leg around the midpoint of the season. That might drive down the price a little. Still only 25 years old, Adebo offers size and ball-skills to our secondary. Adebo's one big weakness is penalties.
WR Darius Slayton
Slayton is beloved in New York for being a great locker room guy, leader, and mentor to younger WRs. He does the dirty work as a WR. But the biggest benefit he offers us is his vertical speed. We need a guy who can threaten defenses deep. Slayton can do that. Drops were a problem for him, but he has cut down on them the past two years.
OT Jaylon Moore
After struggling in his early years, Moore played well this year as the 49ers' swing OT when asked to step in for Trent Williams. We could use a solid veteran at swing OT. I don't think Moore will cost an arm and a leg.
DT Greg Gaines
A blast from the past here, Gaines has mostly been in a rotational role in Tampa. It should make him relatively cheap to bring back. He can provide a solid veteran presence in the middle.
Trades
Rams trade WR Cooper Kupp and Round 6 Pick #14
Steelers trade Round 4 Pick #21
It's hard to know what sort of value Kupp has around the NFL. The Steelers were reportedly interested in acquiring him at the deadline. Based on the trade value chart, this has him at early 5th round value.
Rams trade OL Jonah Jackson and Round 6 Pick #25
Giants trade Round 5 Pick #16
Keeping this from my last mock. The Giants were reportedly interested in signing Jackson last offseason. While we could just keep Jackson for another year to provide (incredible) depth, I think we're okay with Justin Dedich and Dylan McMahon. I think Jackson will have some trade value because starting caliber OLs are always in demand, and he's still relatively young.
The Jaguars might be looking to move up to add an offensive piece here if they go defense with their first pick. With the Coen-McVay connection, I could see us as a logical trade partner. The Jaguars have an extra third (and fourth), so they can afford this sort of deal. We're comfortable moving down with the players available.
Analysis: We reportedly were in love with Brock Bowers last year. I think we'll value Fannin for the same reasons. At 6'3" 238, he's only 5 pounds lighter than Bowers. He led all of college football with 1,555 receiving yards in 2024. Fannin is a special athlete whose acceleration off the line, physicality, top-end speed, and strong hands (only 2 drops in his career) make him a mismatch in the passing game. Despite being a smaller TE, Fannin is a violent and ferocious blocker. He won't be an inline TE, but as a move TE and big slot, his blocking will be a plus. His game needs some polishing, but I think he is a special player. Think prime Jordan Reed.
Analysis: This is a boom/bust pick and one I've really been wrestling with. I generally avoid players who have drop problems. Williams definitely has that issue. Thing is, he also caught the ball well for parts of the season, so he's not one of those guys who just can't catch the ball. Why am I picking him anyways? Because he is an absolutely stellar athlete at 6'4" 225. He played WR, HB, wildcat QB, and TE for TCU this year. He's a former QB who is a special talent with the ball in his hands. He needs to polish his route running, improve his hand technique, and work on the finer points of WR play, but the tools and physicality are there.
Analysis: Riley really impressed me at the Senior Bowl. At 5'10 192, he's a tad undersized, but he's physical, strong, and does a great job of staying in phase with the WR. He also mirrors well and doesn't panic when he's beaten. He found a way to recover multiple times and deflect passes after the WR appeared to have gained an upper hand. Riley is an experienced ballhawk of a CB who has great instincts and the ability to play the slot or outside. While his size can hurt him as a run defender, he's a willing tackler. I've been wanting us to get bigger at CB, but I like Riley's game enough to make an exception.
Analysis: Rourke is an interesting guy. He is an older prospect who has a lot of starting experience. He transferred to Indiana from Ohio and led them to their best season in program history. At 6'5" 225, Rourke has prototypical QB size. He isn't the most toolsy guy, only having average arm strength and mobility, but he shines in a lot of other areas. He is a full-field reader, is comfortable working through progressions, throws with anticipation, is very accurate (especially in the intermediate range), has a quick release, and maneuvers the pocket well. The two big negatives I saw (besides his average tools) are inconsistent deep ball accuracy and a loss of composure when his OL is struggling. But the latter is often true of pocket passers. He's a smart rhythm thrower who usually makes the right read.
Analysis: I'm a big fan of Allen's game. With the Rams looking likely to extend Kyren, I think he's a great complement to what Kyren brings to the table. Allen possesses explosive acceleration, which makes him a big play threat, despite not possessing elite top-end speed. He's a slippery runner who has a good feel for running lanes. But where he is truly special is in the passing game. Allen is like another receiver on the field. He run routes and catches the ball like a WR. He's the sort of kid who embarrasses LBs when they are forced to guard him.
Analysis: While Hawes is expected to go far later on the big board, I think he's the type of player who NFL teams will value more than draftniks. He's very raw as a pass catcher, particularly as a route runner, but he's a sneaky good athlete who runs with physicality after the catch. Where Hawes is special is as a blocker. He is a mauler in the running game who can wipe out DEs on down blocks, blow up LBs as a puller or when put in motion, and he blocks well in space. He's also a damn good pass protector. He's like having another OT on the field. IMO, he has the athleticism to potentially develop into a pass-catching threat, but even if he doesn't, he'll still be an invaluable role player just because of his blocking.
Analysis: Oladejo started the year playing ILB and then converted to EDGE because of team need. He had an outstanding week at the Senior Bowl, including in the Senior Bowl game, showing off a lot of pass rushing tools and good instincts. He unsurprisingly defends the run well, even if he's still learning to play on the edge. As a pass rusher, he's still putting the pieces together, but he has the size (6'3" 261 with 33.5" arms) speed, power, heavy hands, and enough bend to potentially be a quality player in that regard. At minimum, he'll offer a team nonstop motor, ILB instincts, and plenty of physicality.
Analysis: Cam Jackson is a massive man at 6'6.5" 340. He played NT in Florida's 3-3-5. Jackson is a physically gifted player who has a great first step and good quickness for a man his size. He was an inconsistent player in 2023, but I thought he played much better in 2024, particularly after UF allowed him to be more aggressive getting into the backfield. Jackson even has some pass rush potential at his size. However, the most important thing he'll do for us is run stopping. I think he needs clean up his body a bit and improve his strength to handle NFL double teams. But if he does that, he has a shot to be a very effective NT.
Starting Lineup
QB: Matthew Stafford
HB Kyren Williams
WR: Puka Nacua
WR: Darius Slayton
TE: Harold Fannin Jr.
TE: Tyler Higbee
LT: Alaric Jackson
LG: Steve Avila
C: Beaux Limmer
RG: Kevin Dodson
RT: Rob Havenstein
DE: Kobie Turner
NT: Greg Gaines
DE: Braden Fiske
OLB: Jared Verse
ILB: Zack Baun
ILB: Omar Speights
OLB: Byron Young
CB: Paulson Adebo
CB: Ahkello Witherspoon
SLCB: Quentin Lake
FS: Kam Kinchens
SS: Kam Curl
K: Joshua Karty
P: Ethan Evans
LS: Alex Ward
KR: Savion Williams
PR: Xavier Smith
Rams coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead have said publicly that working on an extension for the Rams running back was among offseason priorities.
“Heck yeah,” Williams said Thursday at the Super Bowl’s media center. “I don’t want to go play for anybody else besides the Los Angeles Rams, coach McVay, under Les Snead and just around all my teammates I’ve been with the last three or four years.
“I hope that we can get that done, and I hope it doesn’t take away from all the other stuff that’s going on with the Rams, and we can get that over with and get back to focusing on ball.”
Cooper Kupp, a cornerstone of McVay’s offense for most of his eight seasons, announced this week that the Rams had informed him they would seek to trade the receiver.
“It sucks,” Williams said. “It’s the nature of this business. Cooper is a guy that before I ever got to the Rams, Cooper was a pillar of the Rams and was somebody that when you think of the Rams, you think of Cooper Kupp.”
Williams said he would miss not having Kupp as a role model for how to be a professional. However, the situation also presents Williams and receiver Puka Nacua the opportunity to grow as leaders, he said.
“To be able to be that person Cooper was in the locker room for the young guys that are coming in,” he said.
The Rams also must work through quarterback Matthew Stafford’s contract situation. The 16th-year veteran has given no indication publicly that he wants to retire, and he is expected to want his contract adjusted for the second year in a row.
In the meantime, Williams will prepare for his fourth NFL season.
Williams, who will turn 25 in August, has rushed for 2,582 yards and 26 touchdowns since the Rams selected him in the fifth round of the 2022 draft out of Notre Dame.
This season, he rushed for 1,299 yards and 14 touchdowns.
“I’m excited to go back, after three years of a body of work, to really know what I’m good at, where I need to get better and continue to keep working,” he said. “I think this is going to be my best offseason. ... I’m going to go back to work and get my body right and come out next season on fire.”
23 yo Mark Williams is the Lakers new center. He's injury prone, but close to dominating when healthy. They gave up a lot for him though - Knecht, the last first they could trade, a pick swap, and Cam Reddish to balance salaries.
Zak Kromer already took over as TE coach.He was also IMO a better TE coach than Thomas Brown.
Kromer was been a big part of The Rams O’Line helping TE’s & WR in there blocking schemes as well. There isn’t much hype around him as a Rams Coach from outsiders.
Sean Mcvay will put his Trust into Kromer and another Rams Coach climbing up The Sean Mcvay Coaching Tree.
Thomas Brown took over as HC for The Bears Now with The Pats as pass game Coordinator & TE’s coach.
The Patriots did not hire Thomas Brown to be their offensive coordinator, but are reportedly looking to add the former Bears interim head coach to Josh McDaniels' staff.
The NFL mock draft database mentioned above has the tackle from Cincinnati (John Williams) ranked at 366 overall currently. His footwork, hand use and balance at the East-West game were impressive.
The Rams exceeded 30 points only once in 2024. It was good enough to get us on the cusp of the NFC Championship, but we need more offensive firepower than that.
It depends on what we do in free agency, but we need more offense one way or another.
Players will rise and fall along the draft board as we get closer to the draft with workouts and prodays and the normal rumor mill. The Rams can and will create cap space as needed with this free agency. Also I'm trying to not grab free agents others have signed or draft the same players but it'll happen. There have been some really interesting free agents and some draft picks I love but trying for a little variety.
Free Agency:
Re-sign:
Alaric Jackson. I think he gets a 3 year deal around market value in the low $20 million range play with the numbers as you like. Akhello Witherspoon. Gets a 2 year deal for what will end up a battle at CB2/CB3 Neville Gallimore resigned for depth along the front line.
DeMarcus Robinson. Keeping a vet that has done well as a 3rd or 4th and knows the offense.
McDermott, Murchison and McMahon all resigned for depth at the minimum.
Sign:
Chavarius Ward CB Niners. Estimates I've seen range from $15-18 million a year to come in as our CB1. I'm not interested in Greenlaw but bringing Ward in to be CB1 is a win.
Jamien Sherwood ILB NYJ. For those that are fans of the site PFF likes this guy a lot. He's good in coverage, most places I've seen has him as a top 5 coverage ILB, and at tackling. He's got sideline to sideline range. Size will be a concern to some but his time starting in NY has been good. Here's a brief clip of Baldy talking about him.
Skule is a veteran swing tackle. He's started both OT positions and done it well in Tampa and SF over the last 5 years. He's a vet presence behind AJax and Big Rob and shouldn't break the bank.
Draft:
Rams trade pick Round 1 pick 26 and Round 6 pick 26 to New England (moving up for an OT) for Round 2 pick 6(38) and Round 3 pick 13(77)
Round 2 pick 6(38) the Rams select: Deone Walker NT Kentucky
Massive man at 6'7" 340 lbs to come in and play between Fiske and Turner. This is a spot that completely changes our defense. Here is a breakdown of him at the Senior Bowl.
Round 3 pick 13(77) the Rams select: Mason Taylor TE LSU
This is a loaded TE class and the rankings of them can fluctuate and this might be too late for him but with Arroyo and Gadson rising we could see Taylor fall in to our lap. Great hands good size and a chain mover.
Round 3 pick 26(90) the Rams select: Hollin Pierce OT Rutgers
Stealing this one obviously, a massive swing OT to develop and could end up being the heir to Big Rob.
Round 3 pick 36(100) the Rams select: Tory Horton WR Colorado St. Tall skinny X receiver with 4.45 speed. One of the better X in the draft at tracking the ball combine that with good short area acceleration and he's a dangerous X to add to the TE's and Puka/Kupp.
Round 4 pick 25(126) the Rams select: Bhayshul Tuten RB Virginia Tech
Here's our game changer RB. At 5'11" 209 lbs he is every bit as fast as his 4.32 40 time. Will need to grow as a pass blocker but he's RB3 behind Williams and Corum. Also could see time in the return game.
Round 6 pick 14(192) the Rams select: Tommi Hill CB Nebraska
One of the ways they could create some more cap space is to release DK so I'm adding another young CB to the room. Hill a WR converted to CB has had some huge hype at times but seems to settle in around the 200 pick range in most all projections. More of a zone CB he's likely a PS guy or ST guy with time to develop.
Round 6 pick 25(203) the Rams select: QB Taylor Elgersma Laurier
Wasn't on many draft boards prior to the Senior Bowl and he was very impressive here. Truly don't know much about him but I can see the Rams picking a day 3 QB up this year so why not?
Have at it! Added a NT to take the front 7 to another level with a veteran ILB behind him. A CB1 along with another young guy for the room. Added an X WR we all know is needed, at TE to help Higs move the chains, a game changing RB along with the future RT and a vet swing tackle. I really got there to the 3rd round and at this point it's hard to tell who will or won't be there and what direction I wanted to go. Initially I was thinking pick 77 was going to be a CB but signing Ward changed that and allowed to focus on the offense.
"Here's the f---ing deal, OK? We can sit here and exist, and be OK winning nine to 11 games, and losing in the f---ing divisional round and feel like, 'Oh, everything's OK.' Or, we could let our motherf---ing nuts hang, and go trade for this f---ing quarterback, and give ourselves a chance to go win a f---ing world championship. You ready to f---ing do this or what?" Sean McVay on trading for Stafford.
With one or two years left with Stafford, the Rams choose once again to let their ‘motherf---ing nuts hang’ and go for it. They pull out the credit card and make several bold moves to go all in for 2025 and 2026.
Stafford (brings this year's guaranteed money up to $42m; save $7m on the cap)
RESIGN
Alaric Jackson (extend 4 years, $72m; $10m 1st year cap hit)
I opt to extend rather than franchise tag Jackson because we’ve seen enough to know that, while not an elite LT, he’s more than adequate and rapidly improving. His 2024 tape was much improved over prior years.
Ahkello Witherspoon (1 year, $4m)
Dylan McMahon (ERFA)
Jimmy Garoppolo (1 year, $7m) The Rams need to plan for the future at QB at some point, but they're in win now mode, so the young QB castoffs and draft picks are too risky for the backup QB position. Instead, they opt for the vet QB who ran the offense well in week 18 with backups against Seattle's starters. The future can wait another year.
FREE AGENCY
CB, D.J. Reed (4 years, $81m; $12m 1st year cap hit)
Our secondary was a weakness for the majority of the year. No one could match up with the other team’s #1 WR. Reed can do that. He’s consistently been a leader in top metrics for coverage skills over the last 4 years. And he’s strong in run support. He will be the best CB we’ve had since Ramsey.
WR, Tee Higgins (3 years, $84m; $14.5m 1st year cap hit)
McVay has been trying to fill the X WR position for some time, without success. They’ve been very successful at drafting WRs that fit the Kupp/Nacua mold but haven’t hit in the draft on other types. So they turn to free agency to solve the problem. He already knows the offense since Taylor comes from McVay’s tree. There is some risk involved here because he’s had some injury issues, but it’s a justifiable risk for win-now mode.
LB, Eric Kendricks (2 years, $10m; $3.5m 1st year cap hit)
Kendricks is a 10-year vet, former all-pro, who is still playing at a high level despite being 32. Per PFF, he was tied for 7th in run stops last year. He won’t be expensive due to his age. While we opt to go cheap here and spend the money instead at the premium CB and WR positions, we still upgrade the position over last year.
DL, Calais Campbell (1 year, $4.5m)
Big-bodied run stuffer to replace BBIII. He’s old but still effective.
TRADES
Kupp (save $12.5m) - 5th round pick - It’s a sad day. We’re losing a team leader and a quintessential Ram. Unfortunately, injuries have taken a toll and we need fresh legs in the offense in addition to the cap savings for other moves.
Darius Williams (save $6.833m) - 7th-round pick - Williams played decently last year but he has declined some since his last time wearing a Rams uniform. It’s not surprising given he’s 32. We move his contract to make room for Reed.
Trade #26 for #40 and #71 - With the acute needs addressed in free agency, Snead would like more picks. Mickey Loomis with the Saints loves trading up so it’s a match.
DRAFT(***all picks based on current rankings from the Consensus Big Board at NFL Mock Draft Database***)
The Rams take a page out of the Eagles 2024 playbook and go get two great CBs. Amos has great length, is physical and scrappy, and has great ball skills. He’s a fit for our system since he excels in zone concepts. With Amos and Reed, we’d have great coverage to go with our excellent pass rush.
Restrepo’s strengths are superb short-area quickness, great route running, elite hands, and high IQ. He understands the nuances of separation and is a tough runner after the catch. Willing blocker. He’s not a burner so he wouldn’t threaten deep but he excels in the short and intermediate ranges. He would be a good replacement for Kupp.
Vertical weapon, great hands, high football IQ. He played in the slot and inline. After the catch he’s a major threat. Per PFF, he was tied for 4th best in the nation for YAC at 9.1. He’s a decent pass protector and is a willing run blocker but could use refinement in that aspect.
Elite suddenness, great contact balance, great vision. A home run hitter who ran a 4.32 40 in high school. Like most college backs, he needs refinement in pass protection. He’d pair well with Kyren and Corum and add an explosive element to the offense.
Let’s add a little height to the WR room. The charge has been that we have no receiver that excels against man coverage. Enter Bryant. He’s a physical route-runner that is not bothered by contact or physicality through his route stem. He’s got a strong catch radius and is a reliable run blocker. He’s not an explosive athlete and needs to work on his release package but he has upside and can fill the backup X role.
5th (Kupp trade) - OT, Ozzy Trapilo, Boston College - 6’7”, 314 lbs
Trapilo is a large, big-bodied lineman who has had snaps at every position along the OL but center. He’s got active feet but is not the best athlete. He’s got extensive experience in gap schemes but he can get out in space some with a zone scheme. He’ll start off as the swing tackle with the eventual goal of being Hav’s replacement.
Sanker is alignment versatile with snaps as the nickel defender, free safety, and in the box. His best fit will be as a box safety where he excels in run support. In coverage, he’s able to stay in phase with RBs, TEs, WRs, and shallow crossers. He’s limited though when it comes to covering depth. Best in zone coverage which makes him a fit for us. I envision him as Curl’s replacement who is a free agent next year.
Old-school linebacker with elite run-stopping instincts. High football IQ, commands the defense. Coverage skills need work and he doesn’t have sideline to sideline speed. He will be an early down back who would immediately help the run defense.
He needs to add some mass but he has the frame to do it. He had an elite run-stop rate and pass-rush grade. He’s kind of raw so will need a development year.
Jackson is alignment versatile with above-average movement skills for his size. He had a very high run-stop rate. He could enhance his pass-rushing repertoire and will need to do that to be an every-down player. As is, I see him in a role similar to BBIII as a run defender.
STARTING LINEUP (DEPTH)
QB: Matthew Stafford (Garoppolo)
HB Kyren Williams (Corum, Sampson)
WR: Puka Nacua
WR: Tee Higgins
WR: Xavier Restrepo
I see Restrepo starting over Whittington but it could be the other way around. WR depth is Whittington, Pat Bryant, and Xavier Smith
TE: Tyler Higbee (Elijah Arroyo, Davis Allen)
LT: Alaric Jackson
LG: Steve Avila
C: Beaux Limmer
RG: Kevin Dodson
RT: Rob Havenstein
Jackson will compete for a starting role with Limmer. If he’s not the starter, he’ll be a super sub in the interior.
OL depth will be Jackson, Dylan McMahon, Justin Dedich, Ozzy Trapilo, Warren McClendon
DE: Kobie Turner
NT: Calais Campbell
DE: Braden Fiske
DL depth: Tyler Davis, Desjuan Johnson, Cam'Ron Jackson
Per Jake Ellenbogen: Tyler Davis had a 17.5 snaps per defensive stop ratio. In comparison, Camren Hayward, who led the league in stops, had a 17.7 snaps per stop ratio. I’m projecting Davis’ snaps to double as the primary sub.
OLB: Jared Verse (Brennan Jackson)
OLB: Byron Young (Quandarrius Robinson)
ILB: Eric Kendricks (Kobe King)
ILB: Omar Speights
The Rams go with a bandaid at ILB with Kendricks who is 32 but still playing at a high level. A higher level than we got at the position last year so while we still need to address the future, this position is upgraded over 2024. This position would also be a strong target for UDFAs.
CB: DJ Reed
CB: Trey Amos
NCB: Quentin Lake
I’m getting rid of Williams who’s dropped off and Kendricks who is a liability. In their place, we add premium talent that’s strong in coverage and run support.
Curl, Lake, and Durant are 2026 free agents so we remake the secondary in free agency and the draft. With the additions, the secondary should be a strength.