A 31-27 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game was considered by the Los Angeles Rams as a missed opportunity because their NFC West divisional rival dominated the New England Patriots to win Super Bowl LX. Once 2025 NFL MVP Matthew Stafford quickly decided to return for an 18th season, the Rams swung for the fences to capitalize. The only unrestricted free agent of consequence was safety Kam Curl.
He was retained on a three-year, $36 million contract, with up to $39 million in salary escalators. Cornerback, the most glaring roster weakness, was upgraded in a trade and through free agency. Trent McDuffie, who was entering a contract year, was acquired from the Kansas City Chiefs in March.
He signed a four-year, $124 million contract extension in connection with the trade, making him the NFL's highest-paid cornerback at the time. Jaylen Watson, McDuffie's cornerback counterpart in Kansas City, received a three-year, $51 million deal as an unrestricted free agent. Another order of business was adjusting Stafford's contract.
As the 2025 NFL MVP, Stafford was still underpaid despite renegotiating the final two years of the four-year, $160 million extension he signed in 2022, which had $58 million remaining, into a two-year, $84 million deal last year. Stafford received a one-year extension for $55 million running through the 2027 season. Incentives make Stafford's extension worth up to $60 million.
A persistent pursuit of edge rusher Myles Garrett, which began in 2022, finally paid dividends in June. The Cleveland Browns dealt the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year to the Rams for a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, a 2029 third-round pick and edge rusher Jared Verse, who was 2024's NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. The Garrett acquisition had an unexpected major consequence.
His addition inspired defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who was on track to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2029, to unretire. After winning the offseason, the Rams are heavy favorites to be Super Bowl LXI champions at 5-to-1, according to SportsLine. The Buffalo Bills have the next best odds at 10-to-1, followed by the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks.
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