Rams' biggest remaining needs after the draft – What's Still Missing
Heading into the draft, the Los Angeles Rams didn't have any glaring needs. Most of their starters were returning from last season and those who weren't had already been replaced. Warren McClendon was ready to step in at right tackle for Rob Havenstein. At cornerback, Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson were set to replace Darious Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon.
That's why the Rams were able to approach the draft with an eye on the future. The Rams will have a better idea of what their true needs are once the season starts and the trade deadline approaches.
Still, we can speculate on what those needs might be now that the draft is over and we look ahead to OTAs
Linebacker
The Rams do a good job of mitigating some of their deficiencies at the linebacker position. Chris Shula tends to overlap them with safeties, having Kam Curl and Jaylen McCollough play in the box. When the Rams won the Super Bowl in 2021, they started the year with Troy Reeder at linebacker. It would be surprising to see the Rams add at the linebacker position before the season, especially after investing in Nate Landman last year.
Where the Rams could upgrade is with Omar Speights. Speights wasn't as reliable a tackler as he was during his rookie season and his limitations in man coverage got exposed at times. It will be interesting to see if Shaun Dolac can push Speights during the summer. Dolac played 35 snaps against the Baltimore Ravens last year and impressed.
Experienced Wide Receiver Depth
There is a reason why so many wanted the Rams to draft a wide receiver in the first round. Behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, the Rams have Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield, and Xavier Smith. They also drafted CJ Daniels in the sixth round. All four of those players are late Day 3 draft picks or, in Smith's case, an undrafted free agent. Those players may have some upside, but the expectations should remain realistic. It wouldn't hurt for the Rams to add some more experience there if the fit is right.
The most obvious place to look here would be free agency with Jauan Jennings or Stefon Diggs. Diggs had a strong season with the New England Patriots last year, but may not step into a third wide receiver role. If Adams suffers another hamstring injury, Diggs may be a fit then or a potential trade for a player like Brian Thomas Jr. or George Pickens.
Special Teams Competition
This isn't to say that the Rams should replace Ethan Evans and Harrison Mevis this offseason. However, the Rams need to bring in some competition. Evans had some strong moments, but also had a few costly shanks. He needs to be more consistent. Mevis brought some stability to the Rams' kicking unit. However, not a lot was asked of him either. The offseason is a chance for the Rams to bring in some competition and ensure that those are the two that they want to go into the season with.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/rams/onsi as Rams' biggest remaining needs after the draft – What's Still Missing.
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This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 2:23 PM.