Rams' 5 biggest remaining needs after 2026 draft

Maybe Landman or Speights takes a step in that area this year. Or maybe Dolac ascends into a bigger role on defense. But for the time being, the Rams are lacking a linebacker who can cover a lot of ground, which hurt them in the second half of last season.

Edge rusher

It's hard to find a much better tandem than Jared Verse and Byron Young, but after that, the Rams' talent at outside linebacker falls off. Josaiah Stewart is promising and Desjuan Johnson looked good after transitioning from the interior of the line to the outside, but depth isn't a strength of this group.

A veteran, rotational pass rusher who can spell Verse and Young each week would help keep everyone fresh, especially after it seemed like Young's production tapered off last season following a hot start.

Return specialist

The Rams traded away their two seventh-rounders to move up for Daniels, which were two spots they could've addressed the special teams unit. Xavier Smith is back but will the Rams feel confident enough in him to continue using him as their primary returner? It seems unlikely.

If Los Angeles wants to make strides on special teams, the return game has to be better, particularly at punt returner. Even their undrafted rookies are lacking return experience, so it'll be interesting to see who emerges from this group.

Cornerback

Similar to wide receiver, the Rams are set with their top two starters being Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson. But if an injury were to occur, it would thrust Emmanuel Forbes Jr. or likely Josh Wallace into a starting role. They're decent backups, but relying on them to be full-time starters could be dicey.

It's by no means an urgent need right now but with only four true cornerbacks with legitimate NFL experience on the roster, there's room for help.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: LA Rams' 5 biggest remaining needs after 2026 draft