The Los Angeles Rams are going all-in for the 2026 NFL season. Matthew Stafford is back, and there might not be a playoff future once Stafford retires.
But, for now, the Rams are still in it. And they’re actually one of, if not the top, Super Bowl contenders in the entire league. They needed to add a few key players on defense, specifically, in the secondary.
After they made a few big moves, the Rams are in great shape. And as ESPN’s Bill Barnwell notes, Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula is one of the biggest winners in the NFL after the first day of free agency.
Rams’ Chris Shula winner of free agency
“The Rams were already the ninth-best defense by EPA per play last season, and now they’ve plugged the biggest hole on their team with two standouts,” Barnwell writes. “Watch out.”
Barnwell called Shula a winner of free agency so far, thanks to the moves that general manager Les Snead has made this offseason.
He brought back Kamren Curl to pair with Quentin Lake, which makes for a strong safety duo. But the big moves came in the form of two Kansas City Chiefs cornerbacks.
First, Snead dealt pick No. 29, fifth and sixth round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, and a 2027 third-rounder to the Chiefs for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie. They then extended him on a four-year, $124 million contract.
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Getting McDuffie on the roster and around for the next four years is a huge boon for Shula and the Rams’ defense. But Snead didn’t stop there.
Jaylen Watson, the Chiefs’ top free agent cornerback, also joined the Rams, as he’s in agreement on a big $51 million contract over the next three seasons.
McDuffie and Watson are two massive additions for the Rams’ secondary, which was the weakest link last season for the Rams.
With a strong defensive front, a locked-in safety duo, and now the big additions of two top-tier cornerbacks, the Rams, and especially Shula, are easily one of the biggest winners so far this offseason.
