The Rams keep leaning on veterans and undrafted depth, but that approach leaves a plain question hanging over the near future: where are the next starters supposed to come from?
Los Angeles has drafted 11 rookies over the last two seasons, and three of them are already gone. Of the eight still around, only tight end Terrance Ferguson (2025), wide receiver Konata Mumpfield (2025), and edge rusher Josaiah Stewart (2025) have logged a noticeable number of snaps this season. Beyond that, the 2026 drafted class has yet to make much of a dent.
That matters because the Rams can’t count on simply keeping everyone they’d like to keep. More than 24 veterans are in the final year of their current contracts, and the team won’t have enough cap space to extend them all.
The problem isn’t just today’s rotation. It’s the pipeline behind it.
The most immediate concern is that the rookie class isn’t getting much of a runway. Fans who haven’t seen much from rookie receiver CJ Daniels or tight end Max Klare through the first four games probably shouldn’t expect a late-season breakout. Both spots have been hit by early injuries, but neither player has been targeted once.
That’s part of the Rams’ reality for offensive rookies right now. It also helps explain why drafting quarterback Ty Simpson drew criticism from some observers, especially with skill-position help sitting there on the board.
The long-view picture doesn’t get much cleaner. The Rams started with seven draft picks for 2027, and that number is already down to four. On top of that, they’ll only make one selection across the first two days of the three-day draft.
There is some young help in the building. Undrafted edge rushers Wesley Bailey and Darryl Peterson III are in line to help this season.
Undrafted inside linebackers Omar Speights and Shaun Dolac are already contributors. In the secondary, cornerback Josh Wallace and safety Jaylen McCollough have provided steady play.
Even so, undrafted players on this roster usually need time before they really settle in. Drafted players can sometimes be ready much faster, and Rams fans saw that in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
So while patience may be the cost of doing business for now, the bigger issue remains unchanged: if the Rams want their 2026 rookies to matter a year from now, they need to start giving them chances before later becomes too late.
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