It’s been a long time since the Los Angeles Rams were facing this level of uncertainty heading into a season. Following a 5-12 campaign, there are no guarantees they’ll even improve on that unsightly record – by far the worst of the Sean McVay era.
There are questions all over the roster, from top to bottom at several positions. Who will be the five starting linemen? Who will replace Leonard Floyd as the primary edge rusher? Can Matthew Stafford stay healthy?
Buy Rams TicketsThere are a lot of questions that still need to be answered, some of which we won’t get resolutions to until the middle of the season. Nevertheless, here are the eight biggest questions facing Los Angeles this season.
1
Will the pass rush be good enough?
We know Aaron Donald is going to generate pressure and disrupt opposing offenses but the Rams are lacking pass rushers around him. As excited as the coaching staff is about Michael Hoecht and Byron Young, it’s hard to feel great about those two being Los Angeles’ primary edge rushers.
If they can’t consistently generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks and make them uncomfortable in the pocket, the Rams are going to have trouble covering in the secondary long enough to prevent big plays. Coverage and the pass rush go hand in hand so if one of them isn’t working, the other will suffer.
2
Can they find a cohesive starting O-line?
The offensive line was a never-ending revolving door last season, deploying more starting combinations than you can count on two hands. The Rams haven’t publicly announced who their five starters will be up front but the primary goal has to be cohesion and consistency, no matter who’s in the starting lineup.
They can’t go cycling through offensive linemen every week this season because it’s going to lead to Matthew Stafford getting hit far too often. In an ideal world, they’ll have the same five starters all year, and while that’s unrealistic, maintaining at least three starters from Week 1 to 18 would be a positive step.
3
When will Cooper Kupp return and who will step up behind him?
It’s a two-part question but they’re closely related. We still don’t know if Kupp will play in the opener against the Seahawks on Sunday, though it seems unlikely at this point. He could be back in a week or the Rams could hold him out for a month. We don’t have any clue.
In the event that he does miss time, it’s reasonable to wonder who will step up in his place. Van Jefferson is the top candidate to take some of Kupp’s workload, but he’s not a true No. 1 receiver like No. 10. Therefore, the Rams will need others to step up their game – guys like Tutu Atwell, Puka Nacua and Ben Skowronek. Surviving a month or so without Kupp will be challenging, especially if the players behind him don’t carry their weight.
4
Can Matthew Stafford bounce back from a down year?
Stafford struggled last year, and not just because he missed time with a back injury. He was playing poorly before getting shut down for the year. The big question now is whether that was due to his lingering elbow issue or because his play just in decline as he gets older.
The Rams will have no chance of contending this year if Stafford has another season where he throws almost as many picks as touchdown passes because he’s the catalyst on offense. They go as he goes. Obviously, the offensive line play has to be better, and he could get more help from his receivers, too, but Stafford himself must bounce back from one of his worst seasons yet.
5
Will Brett Maher be the guy at kicker all year?
The Rams are essentially giving Maher a tryout by signing him to the practice squad instead of the active roster. They can elevate him to the game day roster three times but after that, he’ll have be signed to the 53-man roster in order to play.
Given the Rams’ lack of perceived confidence in Maher, it’s hard not to wonder if he’ll be their kicker all year. He was relatively consistent for the Cowboys during the 2022 regular season but he got the yips in the playoffs and couldn’t hit a PAT. Is he past that now or are the Rams in for some shaky kicks to start the year?
6
Does the secondary have enough proven talent?
Ahekello Witherspoon, John Johnson and Jordan Fuller are the Rams’ most experienced and proven defensive backs. That’s not very reassuring but it’s the current state of Los Angeles’ secondary. Cobie Durant and Derion Kendrick are expected to start alongside them and while there’s a lot of faith being put in Durant, Kendrick was statistically one of the worst cornerbacks in the NFL last season.
For a secondary that isn’t returning any full-time starters from last season, there are a lot of questions and concerns, which weren’t alleviated during the preseason. And as previously mentioned, the pass rush isn’t expected to be very good so those on the back end will be asked to cover for a while.
7
How will the offense change under Mike LaFleur?
The Rams offense was arguably the worst in the NFL last season. That’s in large part due to the injuries they suffered but they were struggling badly before Stafford or Kupp ever got hurt. LaFleur takes over as the offensive coordinator and though he won’t be the play caller, he is expected to add some wrinkles to the offense. We could see more throws to the running backs and a different approach in the running game with an offensive line that’s beefed up compared to last season.
Regardless of how the Rams change their offense, it needs to be better than it was a year ago, especially given the questions surrounding Los Angeles’ defense.
8
Can Cam Akers finally be a workhorse back?
If there’s ever been a time for Akers to take his game to the next level, it’s this season. It’s a contract year for the fourth-year running back and he no longer has Darrell Henderson Jr. lurking behind him (or ahead) on the depth chart. This is the perfect opportunity for Akers to become a huge part of the offense.
If he can stay healthy and play the way he did toward the end of last season, the Rams offense is going to be much better for it. We saw what Todd Gurley did for McVay’s scheme from 2017-2019 and while it’s foolish to think Akers can have that level of success, he is a talented back who even bulked up to improve his yards after contact.
