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znModeratorPretty much anything Steven Jackson ever did. I dream about him in Sean McVay’s offense often. https://t.co/22gVDdkRgx pic.twitter.com/4caoQ4u3w6
— Rams Bros. (@RamsBrothers) June 29, 2026
znModeratorOne of the most consistent RBs in the league 😮💨#NFLTop100 | #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/ewSxiagMev
— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) June 29, 2026
znModeratorKyren Williams lands at No. 89 on NFL Top 100 Players of 2026
@rams_reaper 🤣😂🤔🤣😂 pic.twitter.com/DOXHf69zdh
— @speed_kills (@speedk1lls) June 29, 2026
znModeratorKyren Williams lands at No. 89 on NFL Top 100 Players of 2026
Stu Jackson
https://www.therams.com/news/kyren-williams-lands-at-no-89-on-nfl-top-100-players-of-2026
Rams running back Kyren Williams has made his third-straight appearance on the NFL Top 100 Players list, as voted on by the players.
Williams landed at No. 89 this year after rushing 259 times for 1,252 yards and 10 touchdowns; he also added career-highs of 36 receptions for 281 yards and tied his career high with three receiving touchdowns.
His rushing yards were sixth-most in the NFL for the 2025 regular season, while his 10 rushing touchdowns were tied with the 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey for ninth-most. It marked his third-straight season eclipsing 1,100 rushing yards and scoring double-digit rushing touchdowns.
Williams is the first Rams player to appear on this year’s Top 100 list., device, and browser.
znModeratorfrom The Athletic, NFL offseason winners and losers: Which teams actually improved: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7394068/2026/06/29/nfl-offseason-winners-losers-rams-ravens-packers/?source=dailyemail&campaign=601983&userId=603890&source=dailyemail
me note: Rams are ranked 1st
Winners
Los Angeles Rams
General manager Les Snead made the biggest splash of the offseason when he traded for Myles Garrett, the reigning defensive player of the year. That acquisition, coupled with the additions of Chiefs cornerbacks Trent McDuffie in another trade and Jaylen Watson in free agency, could put defensive coordinator Chris Shula’s unit over the top. With a defense like that, Sean McVay’s potent offense could further torment opponents, and the Rams could win another Super Bowl in their stadium this winter.
Additionally, Snead raised eyebrows by drafting quarterback Ty Simpson in the first round, but picking Matthew Stafford’s understudy now could position Los Angeles for a smoother transition down the line while giving the Alabama product adequate time to develop before taking the field. The Rams have fortified themselves for both the short and long term.
znModeratorI ordered some dystopian-ish books. Perhaps one will be good.
The History Of Bees, by Maja Lunde.
Juice by Tim Winton.
Terra Nullius, by Claire Coleman.
Anna, by Niccolo AmmanitiI don’t know those books personally but I know about them. “Juice” and “Anna” are post-apocalyptic, of the Hobbesian “without civilization it’s just everyone against everyone” variety. “Bees” is dystopian. “Anna” is sci-fi though with heavy dystopian overlap.
A book I reccomend very highly is “Song for Night” by Chris Abani. I’m not going to describe it, though it doesn’t really fit any of the genres we’ve been discussing. The less you know about this novel the better–if you’re interested, just grab it and read it cold.
znModeratorLA Rams Nation@RamsNationCP
Second-round rookie TE Max Klare is already displaying elite athleticism and creating major buzz in LA.znModeratorWhy Rams need to bring back Aaron Donald to make season extra Super
Vincent Bonsignore
A nearly perfect Rams offseason has firmly planted them back in the Super Bowl hunt.
Reigning MVP Matthew Stafford is back for at least one more year.
All-world edge rusher Myles Garrett has miraculously been added to a ferocious defensive line.
Matthew Stafford in a red Rams jersey and blue hat, speaking at a podium with a microphone.
All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie now patrols the secondary. His former Chiefs teammate, Jaylen Watson, is joining him in Los Angeles to help turn the Rams’ only weakness into a certifiable strength.
The Rams have the best roster in the NFL, hands down.
More From Vincent Bonsignore
There is one more big move the Rams can make. And it’s a whopper, to say the least.
It’s time to bring Aaron Donald home for one last run.
Whatever the Rams have to do, and whatever power of persuasion is needed from coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead, the Rams need to make it happen.
Yes, Donald is now 35 years old and hasn’t played football in three years.
And it would be unrealistic to expect him to turn back the clock and be the Aaron Donald we all remember, terrorizing NFL offenses during his illustrious Hall of Fame-caliber career.
But even at 75% of his former self, which is a reasonable expectation, Donald would still be a force to be reckoned with. In a condensed role in which his snap count drops from the 55 to 60 he typically played per game to somewhere in the 25 to 30 range, his impact could be maximized.
Bringing Donald back wouldn’t guarantee the Rams would be crowned Super Bowl champions at SoFi Stadium in February, but he would absolutely make a huge difference.
And it might not be as far-fetched as it seems, either.
Multiple league sources indicate the greatest defensive player in Rams history is seriously contemplating coming out of retirement to lend a massive helping hand to the club’s Super Bowl aspirations.
Inspired by the Rams’ addition of Garrett, and motivated by the tantalizing possibilities of joining forces with the best pass rusher in the NFL, Donald might actually dust off his Superman cape for a triumphant return.
Donald made his curiosity known in a pair of texts to ESPN’s Pat McAfee and NFL insider Jordan Schultz soon after the Rams traded for Garrett, telling McAfee that Garrett’s arrival in Los Angeles has “for sure got me thinking” and Schultz, “I’m for sure flirting with the idea. Helluva opportunity with the Super Bowl in SoFi this year. If I can find the fire, it’s a possibility.”
That sounds more like someone getting ready to dive back in, headfirst, rather than carefully putting his toe back in the water to test the temperature.
And, of course, the Rams would welcome him with open arms.
So, is it real or not?
The sense within league circles is that this could actually happen.
And what we do know is that in the weeks since Donald broached the possibility, he and McVay have remained in communication. The two have shared a close bond even during Donald’s retirement.
“Here’s what I would tell you guys overall, too, is Aaron’s a guy that I stay really close in touch with, and I know the respect he has for Myles,” McVay said. “Talked to him about the opportunity to be able to bring him on board.”
Now it’s time to close the deal.
The question Donald is grappling with is rekindling the infamous fire that burns inside him and made him one of the best defensive linemen in NFL history.
Unwilling to settle for anything less than the best version of himself, Donald was one-of-one with his maniacal, year-round work ethic. It bordered on deranged, but it was based on the immense pride he took in being the best.
Knowing the psychotic level of commitment and work ethic he demanded from himself, does Donald even want to go there again?
The right play for the Rams is to continue giving Donald his space while he makes that determination. This includes some gentle coaxing from McVay, of course, reminding Donald how much he still means to the organization and the pivotal role he could play in adding another Lombardi Trophy to the building.
Part of this involves convincing someone who has self-imposed the highest of standards that he can still be a huge asset and help the cause, even if he doesn’t reclaim the 32-year-old version of himself.
Knowing his level of pride, if Donald can somehow reignite the fire, he will work himself into a position to be a force on the Rams’ defensive line.
His role might change. But his impact will be felt.
The Rams toe a fine line trying to persuade him without pushing him. With roughly a month left before training camp opens, they have time to strike the necessary chord and bring Donald back into the fold.
It’s time to seal the deal.
znModeratorThanks, everyone.
Sherri’s death was completely unexpected. I can’t describe how difficult the last two weeks have been.
I appreciate your kind words. The support I’ve gotten from everyone around me has made all the difference.
Again, Nittany…I’m sorry.
Do know this though. Over the years you would mention Sherri here and there, or hint at this or that event or conversation with her. And it was not hard to see that you held her in high regard and were happy with your life together with her.
But of course words like mine here are paltry things. Just know that we care about you in this hard time.
znModeratorznModeratorfrom PFF, Building the NFL’s all-undrafted team entering the 2026 season…https://www.pff.com/news/building-the-nfls-all-undrafted-team-entering-the-2026-season
Offensive Tackles: Alaric Jackson, Los Angeles Rams
Jackson is an obvious pick here, having improved his PFF grade over each of the last four seasons. He was by far the highest graded undrafted offensive tackle in the league last year, with an overall PFF grade of 85.3.
Jackson is an imposing run blocker — unsurprising for a former Iowa Hawkeye — and at 27 years old, he likely still has his best football ahead of him. The Rams will be hoping that iron sharpens iron with Jackson squaring off against incoming Myles Garrett every day in practice — two players at opposite ends of the NFL’s pre-draft evaluation spectrum.
Interior Offensive Linemen: Coleman Shelton, Los Angeles Rams
The 30-year-old has quietly developed into one of the league’s steadiest interior linemen, posting three consecutive seasons with a PFF grade between 68.0 and 72.0 while improving slightly each year.
June 27, 2026 at 3:32 pm in reply to: Rams improving defense, players & scheme (starts 6/27) #164636znModeratorSecondary making progress, versatility a strength
Head coach Sean McVay has been pleased with the teaching progression of the secondary, and also likes the positional flexibility they will have in the defensive backfield.
“Guys are learning really all the spots on the back end, no different than really when (offensive line coach) Ryan Wendell cross trains our guys from the inside to outside,” McVay said earlier in OTAs. “You’re seeing Trent McDuffie all over. There are certain guys that’ll play just safety or just play outside corner, but then you got a lot of guys that can play safety, they can play the star position, they can play dime, money. But we’re teaching concepts and so that flexibility and that understanding of what are the core coverage contours that we want to play? What does that look like out of three-down, out of four-down front mechanics out of some of the known rush packages? But I’ve really been pleased with the trajectory of the teaching progression and then the guys’ ability to be able to give the feedback, show it in some of these jog-throughs, and then we’ve done some seven on where that’s tilted towards the offense.”
The new additions at cornerback and the depth and experience at safety, and really for the group as a whole, continue to make it one to watch when training camp opens.
znModeratorHere is how that stacks up to actual spend (I removed Aiyuk from SF for this) . Best use of $ would be Rams, Chargers, Bears, Cardinals, and Lions. Worst use the Bills, Steelers, and Broncos pic.twitter.com/q2gBSdeeb0
— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) June 26, 2026
***
The Los Angeles Rams had the best offense in the NFL last season, leading the league in yards and points. Matthew Stafford was a big reason for the team’s success, but the Rams’ skill group at wide receiver, running back and tight end was unstoppable.
Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Kyren Williams, Colby Parkinson and Blake Corum are all still on the team and figure to be big parts of Los Angeles’ offensive attack. Bill Barnwell of ESPN ranked the Rams’ skill group as the second-best in the NFL, and compared to their combined salary, it’s the greatest value of any team, too.
The total salary of the Rams’ offensive playmakers ranks 23rd, making it a difference of 21 between their salary and ranking in Barnwell’s article. The next-closest teams are the Chargers and Bears
znModeratorMatthew Stafford Has a Warning For Everyone Who Wants to Copy the Rams’ 13 Personnel
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford would like the rest of the NFL to know that copying Sean McVay’s 13 personnel ideas may not go the way they expect.Doug Farrar
https://athlonsports.com/nfl/los-angeles-rams-matthew-stafford-sean-mcvay-13-personnel
The best coaches and play designers in any sport are the ones who adapt to the realities around them. Los Angeles Rams head coach and offensive mastermind Sean McVay was challenged when top receiver Puka Nacua suffered a sprained ankle with 10:02 left in the first half of the Rams’ 17-3 Week 6 win over the Baltimore Ravens. With Nacua off the field, McVay turned to something he had rarely used before — 13 personnel, with one running back, three tight ends, and one receiver. McVay hadn’t run a single play out of 13 personnel all season to that point, but he dialed up eight such plays in the second half, and all were run plays.
The real change happened the next week, when the Rams faced off against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In Los Angeles’ 35-7 blowout of the Jags, the Rams ran 13 personnel on 29 of their 72 offensive plays, a startling 40.3%. Quarterback Matthew Stafford, who overall completed 21 of 33 passes for 182 yards and five touchdowns, completed six of nine passes in 13 personnel for 59 yards and three of those touchdowns – one to rookie seventh-round pick Konata Mumpfield, one to veteran Davante Adams (who caught three touchdown passes on the day), and one to second-round rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson.
All four of Los Angeles’ tight ends – Ferguson, Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson, and Davis Allen – had catches in this game.
Nacua suffered no long-term effects from the injury — his 129 catches on 166 targets for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns last season confirmed that — but McVay was going to weaponize his offense with 13 personnel from then on, with Nacua as the primary receiver in those sets.
The 2025 Rams finished with by far the NFL’s most 13 personnel snaps — 331, while the Pittsburgh Steelers ranked second with 140 — and Stafford benefited from it in ways that would be any quarterback’s dream. Per Sports Info Solutions, Stafford completed 99 passes on 145 attempts in 13 personnel for 1,261 yards, 22 touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 134.8. To put that in perspective, three quarterbacks — Aaron Rodgers of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles, and Jacoby Brissett of the Arizona Cardinals — tied for second in the NFL with three touchdown passes out of 13 personnel.
So, as you would expect, the rest of the NFL is looking to add these 13 personnel concepts. It’s why 22 tight ends were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, the most we’ve seen from that position since 2002.
Just because you can, doesn’t mean that you should
In a recent appearance on the “Green Light with Chris Long” podcast, Stafford talked with Long, the former star defensive end, about why the Rams will still be ahead of the game while the rest of the league may be in copycat mode.
“People are like, oh man, you know, everybody’s gonna be in 13 next year, because that’s the way the league goes,” Stafford said. “And I’m like, ‘Well, they’d better have four guys that can all do everything. And that’s what we have. We’re so lucky in the room. You know, people talk about it as just the Xs and Os on the field.
“But these guys [the Rams’ tight ends] are really talented players. They can block at the point of attack. They can catch the ball intermediate down the field, the whole thing. And they’re smart enough to go learn all these positions and do all these things, and that takes a lot.
“We did pivot, because we probably had zero snaps of 13 personnel in training camp last year. Puka gets hurt, and… we [didn’t] have that many receivers available at that point. And so it was like, ‘Okay, well, let’s have a plan if something does happen here.’ And sure enough, we just kind of went into it.
“We liked the way it dictated the terms a little bit as far as, ‘Hey, here’s what we’re going to get from their defense. And sometimes we don’t know what we’re gonna get. We might get nickel, we might get penny, we might get base, we might get whatever you want to call it.
“But we had plans for all of that, and how we wanted to go attack it as we moved forward. There’s always a chess match going on in the NFL. I’m lucky to be playing for a coach that’s ahead of the curve on a lot of that.”
Defenses will now be on point for 13 personnel
One thing to consider is that NFL defenses have been behind that curve when it comes to dealing with three tight ends on the field. It has been an uncommon grouping in previous years, so when teams face a lot of 13 personnel, they haven’t built up the necessary practice repetitions to counter it.
That’s something Matt Nagy, then the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive coordinator, told me in February, 2024, as the Chiefs were preparing to face the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII. The Chiefs were the most prevalent 13 personnel offense in the league at that time.
“Number one, we feel that we have a good set of tight ends who can do different things,” Nagy said. “When you’re in 13 personnel, are they receiving tight ends, or are they blocking tight ends, or are they both? We feel like we have a good mix there. So, it starts with personnel.
“The second part is, because there aren’t a lot of teams that do 13 personnel, a lot of defensive coordinators don’t have a lot of calls for 13 personnel. So, they’ve got kind of a limited menu. So now, you can do some different things. If a team shows a multitude of defenses against 13, we take a look at that and decide whether we want to go with it or not. We’ve been that way for a long time.”
Will that advantage disappear with a new influx of 13 personnel, and a corresponding need for defensive coaches to scheme against it?
Quite possibly. For every schematic action in football, there will be an equal and opposite reaction sooner rather than later.
So, intrepid NFL coaches — don’t automatically assume that just because you load up on tight ends for the 2026 season, your offense is going to reap the rewards. As Stafford said, it takes all factors working in concert for any revolution to happen.
znModeratorznModeratorThe Road was great. But it was published around 2006. I cant seem to find anything even remotely as good in the last decade.
Station 11 altered the entire genre. Previously, post-apocalyptic fiction and film tended to depict “human nature” in stark terms drawn from social darwinism (like The Road Warrior). Doing it that way made it an overlap genre with action adventure or horror or both. If you think about it, you cannot write post-acopalyptic stories without basically claiming that you are reducing “universal human nature” to its essence, and mostly that (imagined/imaginary) “essence” was as I said more or less social darwinism. In Station 11, the survivors are heavily defined by cultural traces and memories and practices.
Though of course what makes a post-apocalyptic fiction what it is has to do with whether we see the global collapse of civilization, the collapse and then the after, or if it is set many generations after the collapse. Station 11 by its very nature is set in “the collapse and then the after.” That way the main story is about those who actively try to preserve cultural traces of the recently dead civilization.
There aren’t many great post-apocalyptic novels. If you go back 100 years there are a few more. Actually there may be more good short stories than novels, and then also some films. In the last 20 years, the big 3 novels (IMO) are The Road, Station 11, and Oryx and Crake (though strictly speaking the the 3rd one is a post-apocalyptic/dystopian overlap)
I should add something about The Road. It is so utterly stark partly because it’s set up so that the natural world is completely dead or dying. It sort of hints at a catastrophe that causes that, and the hints tend to point to an asteroid strike like the one that wiped out dinosauts 66 million years ago. However, you can’t take the science of that book seriously. I mean, the 66 million years ago asteroid strike did not wipe out everything. The surviors were small dinosaurs (like birds) or small mammals that could live off of seeds, which were plentiful, or off of the insects that could live off of dead wood. In The Road, it’s all gone. That just means to me that the book is really about setting up the darkest possible end times, and the kind of horrors that would come from that (a world where there’s nothing to eat). So I don’t need The Road to be scientifically realistic–that was never what it was doing. It just deliberately set up a world where there is nothing to eat and no chance of every finding it. I mean the book doesn’t even think about the fact that after many years the sky would clear of ash, and at that point, dormant seeds would grow. That’s because its story is just deliberately set up to be about an utterly dead world that will never be resurrected, and then shows us an innocent boy in that world who keeps the light (or fire) anyway. So really it’s a moral fable.
None of which matters compared to the fact that it’s brilliantly written.
…
znModeratorThis is from Facebook.
Hunter Biden wrote a seven-point autopsy of the Democratic establishment this week. He says he is not running for anything.
The day after Mamdani-backed insurgents knocked off establishment-backed incumbents in New York, the son of the former president told his father’s wing of the party that its time is up. The call is coming from inside the dynasty.
Here is what he wrote:
I’m not running for office. But if I were, these are some of the lessons I’d take away from what happened in NY yesterday.
1. Authenticity is measurable. Voters can smell a focus group from a mile away.
2. Endorsements from the current Democratic leadership now read like warnings. The establishment wing of the party is no longer a sword. It’s a question mark.
3. Conviction beats caution. The candidates who said hard things about rent, about who pays for what, about Gaza, they won. The triangulators lost.
4. Cost of living is everything. Everything else is wallpaper.
5. The middle is not a strategy. It’s an empty room. Voters reached past the
establishment to grab someone who actually believes something.
6. Don’t fear the base. Court it. The Democrats who ran from their own voters lost. The ones who ran toward them won.
7. If you want to lead a party you have to be willing to fight inside it. Mamdani didn’t ask permission. He took the field.znModeratorI read Dune for the first (and only) time about two years before volume one of the recent film version came out. I also found it better than I expected. Never heard of Station Eleven. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything I would call Post-apocalyptic. I don’t think that describes Dune.
Yeah Dune is not post-apocalyptic.
Post-apocalyptic is a very particular thing. It’s not so much a branch of sci fi as it is a branch of the must bigger category, ie. speculative fiction.
The current gem in post-apocalyptic fiction is McCarthy’s The Road, though it is much darker than most.
Fwiw, I like Station Eleven much more than WV does.
znModeratorHow bout a bunch of plays, Cooper Kupp in the Super Bowl was unreal pic.twitter.com/ADeGugUUZc https://t.co/yFM4ttVCEG
— HoldenCantor (@HoldenCantor) June 26, 2026
znModeratorAn adjunct point to consider — Matt Nagy told me a couple years back when the Chiefs led the league in 13 why defenses don't really have a bead on it. Discussed it with @gregcosell here: https://t.co/U82z1DXMkp https://t.co/ulENM5j59P
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) June 26, 2026
The @Chiefs use more three-tight end sets than any other team, and equally in the run and pass games. The @49ers haven't defended 13 personnel well this season, and Matt Nagy said something to me about 13 that could be big in Super Bowl LVIII. @gregcosell and I get into it. pic.twitter.com/aGFDO2d5Dc
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) February 8, 2024
znModeratorfrom NFL power rankings: There’s a new No. 1 after eventful offseason, June trades
Nate Davis
USA TODAY1. Los Angeles Rams (2): They were a handful of plays − two? three? − from reaching Super Bowl 60, where LA would have almost certainly dominated the Patriots, too. Yet the band isn’t exactly returning intact given the stunning arrival of a new lead guitarist on defense, reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, along with two topflight keyboardists (CBs Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson). And with the league’s best frontman in 2025, MVP Matthew Stafford, back for at least one more year, it’s difficult to expect anything less than the Rams rocketing to the top of the charts.
…
Me: Seattle is #2, then it’s SF, Denver, Buffalo
znModeratorWhich Rams players are poised for a breakout season in 2026?
I came up with three:
🏈 Terrance Ferguson
🏈 Blake Corum
🏈 Kam Kinchenshttps://t.co/ecBfKqQzMy— Nate Atkins (@NateAtkins_) June 25, 2026
znModeratorfrom Whitworth doesn’t think it’ll take long for Garrett to realize how special the Rams are as an organization: https://theramswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/rams/2026/06/25/rams-myles-garrett-andrew-whitworth-training-camp/90682301007/?taid=6a3d5e974ea26f00017bdbfd&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
Former Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth expects big things from Garrett and believes L.A. will get an “amped-up version” of him after he gets acclimated to his new team. Whitworth expects Garrett to realize how special the Rams are as an organization and the opportunity he has in front of him to finally contend in the playoffs.
“I’ve already kind of caught up with him. He’s used my gym here that a lot of the guys train at, so it’s been great to kind of see him in the fold here and be around him a little bit. I’m excited for him,” Whitworth told Ryan Morik of FOX News. “I think he’ll realize this is a pretty special place to play. It’s a very unique locker room and culture. I consider it a one-of-one type place, and I think, having some conversations with him, he’s already picked up on that and realizes what a special opportunity this is.
“I think you’ll see an even more invigorated, excited, amped-up version of Myles Garrett when he gets in here and realizes how special this place is and the juice it’s going to give him to be a part of something bigger than himself where he’s on a winner, and he’s in a place that’s built to win, and he’ll be one of the reasons they win. So I think it’s going to be fun to watch this guy get after it this fall.”
znModeratorfrom Ranking WR, TE, RB groups for 2026: Best and worst NFL teams–https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/49154825/ranking-nfl-teams-offensive-groups-wr-rb-te-2026-season-best-playmakers#lar
Bill Barnwell
…
2. Los Angeles Rams
2025 rank: 5 | 2024 rank: 9The rivalry between the Rams and the Seahawks might have been matched only by the battle between their two star wide receivers in 2025. And just as the Seahawks narrowly claimed the NFC West crown and, eventually, the conference title, Puka Nacua finished just behind Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the race as football’s best wideout. Nacua makes the Rams’ offense work with his ability to block and all the play-action concepts that open up as a result, but he hit new heights as a receiver in 2025, particularly working downfield. He also added 105 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground for good measure. Nacua is the most complete receiver in the game.
Davante Adams was limited to 14 games by a late-season hamstring issue. We didn’t see the Adams of old in 2025, but we got a player who became virtually unstoppable near the goal line. He scored 14 touchdowns, and upon closer inspection, he was open for at least four or five more, only to be let down by some combination of poor throws, pressure and drops. Adams had nine touchdowns inside the 5-yard line last season, and Dallas Goedert was the only other player with more than four. That seems unsustainable in 2026, but again, Adams was simply routinely open time after time near the end zone. Regardless, the future Hall of Famer is more properly characterized as a No. 2 as opposed to a No. 1 at this point of his career.
Kyren Williams split time with Blake Corum in 2025, but Williams led all rushers in success rate (50.6%) and was ninth in missed tackle rate (27.0%). Coach Sean McVay also relied more on Williams as a pass catcher in key spots, using him on choice routes when teams focused their coverages on Adams and Nacua. Corum isn’t as complete of a player as the starter, but he’s plenty explosive as a runner and a valuable second back. Throw in the bevy of tight ends the Rams have and this is a complete playmaker room, albeit one that could be more dependent on Nacua than it might seem.
znModeratorTop 10 Defenses for 2026 | The Mina Kimes Show
I’m joined by JP Acosta to rank our top 10 NFL defenses heading into the 2026 season. Which are too high? Too low? Let us know your top 10 in the comments.
0:00 Welcome to The Mina Kimes show featuring Lenny!
5:20 Texans
10:25 Texans vs Seahawks
11:55 Seahawks
17:15 Rams
24:15 Eagles vs Broncos
27:05 Eagles
33:20 Broncos
38:25 Vikings
45:10 Patriots
50:20 Jaguars
57:40 Browns
1:01:00 Buccaneers
1:08:15 Ravens
1:14:05 Honorable Mentions
1:22:20 Recap
1:23:20 See you next timeznModeratorfrom Top 100 NFL players of 2026: Myles Garrett tops rankings as Rams boast three players in top 10
Pete Prisco shares his 100 best players entering the new seasonPrisco
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/top-100-nfl-players-2026-rankings/
1
Myles Garrett
Los Angeles Rams DE
The 2025 NFL Defensive Player of the Year broke the single-season sack record with 23. He is a true game wrecker. He plays with such force. (Last season: No. 2)2
Matthew Stafford
Los Angeles Rams QB
He was the NFL’s MVP for a reason, leading the league in passing yards and touchdown passes. If he’s nearing the end of his career, he’s doing so while still playing at a star level. (Last season: NR)9
Puka Nacua
Los Angeles Rams WR
This former fifth-round pick has developed into one of the best receivers in the league, leading the NFL in catches with 129. He knows how to get open and catches everything thrown his way. (Last season: No. 63)\52
Trent McDuffie
Los Angeles Rams CB
The Rams traded a first-round pick to get him because of issues in their secondary. He will help solve them since he can do so many things, including playing inside in the slot. (Last season: No. 46)82
Byron Young
Los Angeles Rams LB
He has been a force on the Rams’ defensive line since entering the league and had his best season with 12 sacks in 2025. Now he gets the benefit of playing alongside Myles Garrett. (Last season: NR)znModeratorIn 2025, Bennett entered OTAs as the team’s QB3 behind Matthew Stafford and Jimmy Garoppolo. Bennett could not hit the broadside of a barn during practice. Perhaps a bit of an overexaggeration, but he was missing passes that are layups at the NFL level. Fast forward to training camp, and while Stafford was out with an injury, Bennett took a massive share of snaps, leading to him becoming sharper than ever.
znModeratorAccording to Kyle Borgognoni of The Fantasy Footballers, Nacua averaged a league-high 37.0% targets per route run (TPRR) when Stafford was blitzed over 16 games together (Nacua missed one with an injury).
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League leaders in TPRR when their QB was blitzed (min. 75 routes run) pic.twitter.com/I0ljtVsEh7
— Kyle Borgognoni (@kyle_borg) June 24, 2026
znModeratorPuka Nacua has 4,191.
A full season will put him past Flipper, and possibly Fears.
To say the obvious in the spirit of fandom, Rams have long lists of absolutely great players at 4 positions:
Defensive line
Offensive line
Receiver
Running back -
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