LOS ANGELES RAMS

OFF SEASON CHANGES

The Rams went all-in on defending their Super Bowl aspirations, first trading for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie and extending him for a record-setting $124 million. The Rams then stunned the entire league by trading edge rusher Jared Verse plus three future draft picks to Cleveland for reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett. Matthew Stafford's MVP offense was first in yards per play, success rate, EPA per play, and points per drive last season, the league's best offensive unit by every major measure available. Reigning MVP Stafford also returned on a fresh one-year contract extension this offseason, ensuring continuity at the sport's most important position for at least one more championship run.

QUATERBACKS

Matthew Stafford is coming off his first career MVP campaign, leading an offense that was first in the NFL in yards per play, success rate, EPA per play, points per drive, and points per game, an across-the-board statistical takeover at age 37. Stafford threw an insane 46 touchdown passes last season with just 8 interceptions. His line for this season is 29.5 touchdowns which is incredibly low in comparison. He signed a new one year deal to return and it’s clear he really wants another Super Bowl before retiring. He’s got all the weapons around him to do that with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams his key targets to throw to. Add Colby Parkinson at tight end and two really good running backs and this roster clearly has the talent to go all the way. Stafford still has an absolute arm on him and he should be competing for MVP once again if this team performs as well as expected.

RUNNING BACKS

The Rams have two genuinely good running backs and I think this will turn into more of a time share this season. Kyren Williams has been elite over the past three seasons, with 10+ rushing touchdowns and 1100+ rushing yards in all three seasons. He certainly hasn’t done anything wrong, but Blake Corum has earned himself more time on the field with his performances too. Corum averaged 5.1 yards per carry last season and added 6 rushing touchdowns as well. Coach Sean McVay has said throughout pre-season that both guys will get plenty of touches. This is a high powered offense all around and I think both guys could go close to 1000 yards for the season if everything goes right.

RECEIVERS

Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, and a deep stable of tight ends return fully intact from last season's league-best offense, giving Stafford arguably the most complete supporting cast in football. Los Angeles was first in the NFL in points per game (30.5) last season, a mark this largely unchanged receiving corps should be able to sustain or even improve upon with better injury luck. The lone real cloud is off-field: Nacua faces a lawsuit alleging he bit a woman during a night out, and he later checked into a rehabilitation facility, a situation worth monitoring through training camp and the season, even though there's been no indication the league will take disciplinary action or that he'll miss meaningful practice or game time as a result. Puka has averaged an absurd 95 yards per game in his three NFL seasons and is still entering his prime, so if healthy we can expect similar output and it’s no surprise he’s one of the first receivers taken in fantasy drafts.

DEFENCE

Myles Garrett arrives as the best pure pass rusher in football, having just set the NFL's all-time single-season sack record with 23.0 a year ago. Paired with a defense that already ranked well above average in scoring defense last season, Garrett gives Los Angeles a legitimate game-wrecker who can single-handedly flip a playoff game, addressing what was arguably this roster's only real remaining weakness heading into a genuine title defense. The big rumor is that Aaron Donald could come out of retirement and return to the Rams, which would be scary for the rest of the league.