One thought on Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie and 40 players on the Rams’ defense

A year ago, the Los Angeles Rams boasted the lowest-paid defense in the NFL. That will no longer be the case in 2026.

The Rams loaded up on defensive playmakers this offseason, from blockbuster trades for two-time All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie and two-time Defensive Player of the Year edge rusher Myles Garrett to signing Jaylen Watson to play outside cornerback. And they’re holding out hope of adding another, if Aaron Donald might consider coming out of retirement for a final run.

They’re looking to right the wrongs from how their season ended in a 31-27 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game.

With training camp approaching in less than a month, here’s one thought on every defensive player on the Rams’ roster. If you missed our story on the offense last week, you can find that here.

Defensive line

Myles Garrett: He’s the single biggest addition any team made this offseason, fresh off an NFL-record 23-sack season. Now, he’ll join the deepest defensive line of his career, which means mixing and matching as a hand-in-the-dirt edge, a three-technique in rush situations, a stand-up rusher over the center — and maybe, just maybe, rushing in tandem with Donald?

Braden Fiske: If Donald does return — emphasis on if — Fiske could be the player most at risk of losing playing time. But the depth would be appreciated, and any snaps Fiske gets next to Garrett will play to his strengths as one of the better sack assist men out there.

Kobie Turner: Turner feels like a perfect fit for the Rams on an extension, if they can make the math work. He’s a captain, a draft success story and the player most capable of maximizing Garrett’s impact, given his ability to make teams pay for double-teaming the edge.

Poona Ford: Ford rightly gets praised for his run defense, but his 8.2 percent pressure rate and career-best 4.5 percent QB hit rate last season were some underrated qualities in building out this five-man pass rush.

Tyler Davis: Davis added a 7 percent pressure rate last season, up from 2.6 percent as a rookie, but now he’ll compete with Tim Keenan III and Fiske to occupy the same depth role that featured 460 snaps for Davis last season.

Desjuan Johnson: The Rams like experimenting with Johnson, who impressed with 19 pressures and 13 quarterback hits on just 69 pass-rush snaps last season, according to Sports Info Solutions.

Larrell Murchison: After fading as a pass rusher in 2023 and missing the 2024 season with forearm and foot injuries, Murchison showed enough of a balanced skill set to earn another look entering his seventh NFL season.

Tim Keenan III: The Rams saw a noticeable drop-off whenever Ford had to leave the field last season, both in run defense and in the pressure rates of the interior line. Like all rookies, Keenan will need to get stronger, but he comes from a strong starting block at Alabama in the SEC.

Ty Hamilton: Keenan’s addition will make it a bit harder for Hamilton to find playing time, but he’s good depth to have with Ford entering his 30s.

Jaxson Moi: The Rams love scouting the Tennessee defense, with hits in Byron Young and Jaylen McCollough so far. Moi had an injury-plagued final season with the Volunteers but will try to show something in Los Angeles as an undrafted rookie.

Bill Norton: Norton is a hulking defensive end at 6 feet 6 and 325 pounds, now in his second year with the Rams after spending last year on the practice squad.

Payton Zdroik: An Air Force graduate who is the son of two Air Force graduates, Zdroik has some interesting pass-rush skills to offer as a very undersized interior player at 6-0 and 275 pounds.

Outside linebackers

Byron Young: No other player on this defense is better set up to cash in on 2026 alone than Young. Playing opposite Garrett means consistent one-on-one opportunities and pockets collapsing to his side, where his speed plays so well. I find it very unlikely the Rams can keep him, but they’ll gladly take another Pro Bowl season.

Josaiah Stewart: If Young does depart in free agency next year, it’ll be important for Stewart to build off the low-volume success he had last season, when his 17.3 percent pressure rate on 154 rushes trailed only Jared Verse on the Rams, according to Sports Info Solutions.

Keir Thomas II: The Rams have held their interest in Thomas since signing him as an undrafted free agent in 2022 before adding him to the opening roster that season.

Wesley Bailey: Bailey posted six sacks for Louisville last season before earning a look as an undrafted free agent with the Rams. He’s one of many players the Rams liked this cycle based on a high level of experience, after he played five seasons between Rutgers and Louisville.

Tomon Fox: If Fox can make the roster, it’ll be through special teams, where he played 69 percent and 76 percent of the snaps in the past two seasons with the New York Giants. Given the need here, that certainly increases his chances.

Darryl Peterson III: Peterson is yet another undrafted free agent the Rams are looking at, and he got strong training under Luke Fickell at Wisconsin, where he led the Badgers with 11.5 tackles for loss and six sacks.

Inside linebackers

Nate Landman: Landman enjoyed a huge breakout season last year, and though some of his play regressed with the rest of the unit into the postseason, his ability to force fumbles has carried for a few seasons now. He’ll be in a great spot to do that this season with how many playmakers opposing offenses are already consumed with.

Omar Speights: This is a key contract year for Speights to show he can be a starter in this league. I think his role will reduce some this year, given how many coverage players the Rams can sub into packages to replace their linebackers, but his run defense will be important.

Shaun Dolac: Dolac’s PCL injury came at an unfortunate time last season, as the Rams lost one of their reliable coverage men right before the playoffs. He’s a nice player to get back for this season, though, after his 25 tackles came almost all on special teams.

Grant Stuard: Having covered Stuard in Indianapolis, where he played for new special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone, I could see him being the most underrated addition of the offseason. He’s a great special teams coverage player whose energy tends to rub off on those around him.

Elias Neal: Neal will get a third crack at making the Rams’ roster this summer. Like many of these types, his best route is to carve a lane out on special teams, where he has logged 100 snaps over the past two seasons for Los Angeles.

Nikhai Hill-Green: Hill-Green joins Keenan and Ty Simpson from last year’s Alabama squad. Hill-Green flashed late last season and is another low-investment linebacker the Rams will experiment with.

Cornerbacks

Trent McDuffie: It’s interesting how McDuffie’s blockbuster arrival got overshadowed somewhat with Garrett’s, but this is the single biggest improvement at any position the Rams could have found this offseason. Expect him to play primarily outside but also move inside in nickel and dime formations so the Rams can blur his positioning and get him closer to the ball and to their run fits.

Jaylen Watson: Watson’s archetype says a lot about what the Rams felt was specifically missing from their outside cornerbacks last season. At 6-2, he can not only match up in coverage with bigger receivers but can also stand firm against perimeter runs, which is huge in forcing opponents to deal with the Rams’ stars on the defensive line and at safety.

Emmanuel Forbes Jr.: Forbes made some great plays last season but became too hot-and-cold in coverage and run defense to rely on as a starter. But he’ll get looks as a third cornerback when McDuffie moves inside, and he should see more favorable matchups with Watson here, too.

Josh Wallace: The Rams liked Wallace a lot as a backup nickel, and it’s hard to see that role existing much for him this year outside of a couple of injuries. Special teams should be more of his focus this season.

Nyzier Fourqurean: Fourqurean’s NFL career started after he sued the NCAA to gain an extra year of eligibility for the 2025 season, was initially granted a preliminary injunction and then saw that ruling reversed to wipe out his final college season. He signed with the Rams as an undrafted free agent this spring.

Al’zillion Hamilton: Signed as an undrafted free agent this spring, Hamilton showed some juice last season with four interceptions on one of the better Fresno State defenses in school history.

Cam Lampkin: Lampkin will get a third crack at making the Rams’ roster this summer. He showed some ball skills at Washington State and will need to show them again in training camp to keep getting looks.

Drey Norwood: Another undrafted signing, Norwood started the past two seasons at cornerback for a good defense in the SEC, which alone is worth a look.

Safeties

Quentin Lake: Lake’s return in the postseason wasn’t as impactful as some had hoped, but I think he was left covering up for too much with the regression at outside cornerback. I’m curious to see how Los Angeles taps into his versatility with Kam Curl back.

Kam Curl: Last postseason was a lesson to the Rams in how they have more to unpack in Curl’s playmaking if they can force teams to play to his direction. Don’t be surprised to see him start to move more like Lake this season, potentially even to spots like dime linebacker.

Kam Kinchens: Kinchens was the defensive player I listed as a breakout candidate this season. His playmaking wasn’t as strong last season with the mess at outside cornerback, but he’s one of the players quarterbacks will feel more comfortable testing this season, and it could bode really well if he can make the right strides. He’s still just 23.

Jaylen McCollough: McCollough is still at his best on the blitz, which is an interesting wrinkle to throw at teams that already have to put all their forces into containing Garrett.

Nate Valcarcel: Valcarcel made plays in so many different areas in his college career at Northern Illinois and finished as a first-team All-MAC performer before signing with the Rams as an undrafted free agent and spending last season on the practice squad.

Tanner Ingle: Ingle looked like he might be able to push for a special teams role this season, but competition at the coverage spots is stronger than it was a year ago. But sometimes, competition brings out the best in people, too.

Nick Andersen: Andersen signed as an undrafted free agent this spring after an ultra-productive career at Wake Forest. He holds the Demon Deacons’ record for career pass breakups with 27, and he also led the team with 106 tackles last season.