Rams Free Agency And Draft Needs: What $42 Million In Cap Room Can Get L.a.

NFL occurrence is not predictably linear.

Just because nan Rams’ past 3 seasons ended — successful bid — successful nan NFC wild-card round, nan divisional information and convention title crippled does not mean coach Sean McVay and his 2026 squad are guaranteed to beforehand to Super Bowl LXI, which will beryllium played astatine SoFi Stadium.

But pinch seasoned backmost Matthew Stafford backmost and respective caller draught classes producing emerging stars, nan Rams will beryllium among nan favorites to make their 3rd Super Bowl quality nether McVay.

Especially if they people large again successful nan free agency and nan draft.

The NFL group nan net cap Friday astatine $301.2 million, an summation of $22 cardinal from 2025. The Rams person $41.6 cardinal successful headdress space, according to Overthecap.com, eighth-most among 32 teams.

Teams cannot motion unrestricted free agents until 1 p.m. PDT connected March 11, but agents and players tin discuss pinch teams opening March 9 astatine 9 a.m. PDT.

The draught will beryllium held April 23-25 successful Pittsburgh.

As nan consequence of a trade pinch nan Atlanta Falcons during nan 2025 draft, nan Rams person 2 first-round picks — Nos. 13 and 29. They besides person a prime successful nan second, 3rd and 5th rounds, 2 picks successful nan sixth information and 3 picks successful nan seventh.

Here are 5 questions facing nan Rams arsenic they hole for free agency and nan draft:

Rams information Kam Curl (3) celebrates aft intercepting a walk against nan Chicago Bears successful nan divisional playoffs connected Jan. 18.

(Jeff Roberson / Associated Press)

The Rams person not invested heavy astatine cornerback since 2019, erstwhile they traded 2 first-round draught picks for Jalen Ramsey. They person not drafted a cornerback since 2023, erstwhile they picked Tre Tomlinson successful nan sixth round.

Last season, nan Rams thought their young and talented walk unreserved could compensate for their determination not to guidelines pat pinch nan cornerbacks and safeties from nan 2024 season.

That did not activity retired well.

Cobie Durant, a 2022 fourth-round draught pick, and Roger McCreary, a 2022 second-round prime by nan Tennessee Titans who was acquired successful a 2025 midseason trade, are free agents. So are Ahkello Witherspoon and Derion Kendrick.

The Rams person until May 1 to determine whether to workout a fifth-year action connected Emmanuel Forbes Jr. The Rams successful 2024 signed nan 2023 first-round prime aft he was waived by nan Washington Commanders. If nan Rams workout nan option, Forbes would beryllium guaranteed $12.6 cardinal successful 2027.

Safety Kam Curl is simply a free agent. But nan Rams successful January gave information Quentin Lake a three-year extension that includes $25.7 cardinal successful guarantees, truthful it would beryllium a astonishment if nan Rams are consenting to salary a premium for Curl.

According to Pro Football Focus, Jamal Dean (Tampa Bay), Jaylen Watson (Kansas City) and Tariq Woolen (Seattle) are apical free-agent cornerbacks. Top assemblage prospects see Jermod McCoy (Tennessee), Mansoor Delane (Louisiana State), Brandon Cisse (South Carolina), according to nan website.

Seattle’s Rashid Shaheed is among nan wide receivers nan Rams could perchance target successful free agency.

(Brynn Anderson / Associated Press)

Last offseason, nan Rams re-signed Tutu Atwell to a one-year $10-million statement and past landed Davante Adams for a two-year woody that included $25 cardinal successful guarantees.

Adams, a probable Hall of Famer, worked retired great: Despite a hamstring wounded that forced him to beryllium retired 3 games, he caught a league-best 14 touchdown passes. Atwell caught only six passes.

With prima Puka Nacua and Adams successful nan fold, nan Rams could motion aliases draught a imaginable No. 3 receiver to adhd to a corps that includes Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield and Xavier Smith.

Alec Pierce (Indianapolis), Rashid Shaheed (Seattle) and Mike Evans (Tampa Bay) are among nan apical free-agent receivers. According to NFL.com draught expert Daniel Jeremiah, Makai Lemon of USC, Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State), Denzel Boston (Washington), Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana) and KC Concepcion of Texas A&M are among nan apical draught prospects.

McVay’s displacement to an discourtesy that featured expanded usage of aggregate tight ends besides could effect a determination regarding seasoned tight extremity Tyler Higbee, who is simply a free agent. Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen and Terrance Ferguson are different tight ends connected nan roster.

Rams backmost Jimmy Garoppolo passes during training campy successful July.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

If Stafford had not announced he was returning nan nighttime he won nan NFL astir valuable subordinate grant this would beryllium nan Rams’ paramount offseason rumor — pinch nan 2 first-round picks astir apt coming into play for wide head Les Snead.

Now?

Stafford, 38, played past play for illustration he could spell connected for respective much productive years.

Veteran Jimmy Garoppolo is simply a free agent, but McVay seems apt to push to re-sign him arsenic nan backup. Stetson Bennett is entering nan last twelvemonth of his rookie statement and is owed to transportation a salary-cap number of $1.3 million.

Unless Snead and his scouts person identified a sleeper pick, this year’s draught people is not brimming pinch apical backmost prospects different than Fernando Mendoza.

If nan Rams are so successful nan marketplace for a walk rusher, Cincinnati Bengals protect extremity Trey Hendrickson could beryllium connected their radar.

(Kareem Elgazzar / Associated Press)

Jared Verse and Byron Young were voted to nan Pro Bowl.

Young, who had a career-best 12 sacks, is entering nan last play of his rookie statement and is eligible for an extension. Verse had 7 ½ sacks. But he is specified a disruptive force, he could break nan slope erstwhile he is eligible aft adjacent season.

Josaiah Stewart vanished his rookie play pinch 3 sacks.

So nan Rams could augment nan position group successful free agency aliases nan draft.

Trey Hendrickson (Cincinnati), Jaelen Phillips (Philadelphia) and Odafe Oweh (Chargers) are among nan apical free agents. College prospects see Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami), David Bailey (Texas Tech) and T.J Parker (Clemson) and Arvell Reece (Ohio State), according to PFF and NFL.com.

Rams protect extremity Kobie Turner could beryllium successful statement for a large salary time soon.

(Jacob Kupferman / Associated Press)

After past season, nan Rams wasted nary clip finalizing extensions for their 2 astir important labor — McVay and Snead.

Now they must determine which members of nan stellar 2023 draught people will person extensions, and who mightiness person to play retired nan last twelvemonth of their rookie contracts.

Nacua, Young, protect lineman Kobie Turner and violative linemen Steve Avila and Warren McClendon Jr. and punter Ethan Evans are eligible for extensions.

Verse and protect lineman Braden Fiske will beryllium eligible adjacent year.

Nacua is successful statement to break nan slope pinch a woody upward of $40 cardinal per season. But Seattle receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba — nan NFL violative subordinate of nan twelvemonth — besides is eligible for a imaginable record-breaking extension. So expect 1 to hold for nan different to group nan market, and past break it.