The Rams have spent the 2026 offseason making bold moves for the present, but there’s another track running underneath all that urgency: the quiet push to get more out of the young players already in the building.
That group starts with receiver Konata Mumpfield, edge rusher Josaiah Stewart and return specialist Xavier Smith. Each has flashed enough to make the Rams believe there’s more coming, and each could take a meaningful step if training camp and the season break the right way.
Mumpfield is the clearest candidate on offense. His rookie box score doesn’t jump off the page, but the usage tells a different story.
He wasn’t parked on easy possession routes. He was asked to run difficult patterns, make tough catches and help stretch defenses so others could keep the chains moving.
He also didn’t get the kind of camp time he needed to build timing with Matthew Stafford, who was sidelined. That won’t be an issue in 2026.
On defense, Stewart fits the same most-improved conversation. The Rams already have Myles Garrett in the fold, but trading Jared Verse could open a bigger lane for Stewart. He brings Byron Young’s speed and the kind of sharp, hairpin turns that recall former Rams edge rusher Von Miller.
As a rookie, Stewart posted 3.0 sacks and 22 tackles in 374 snaps. The expectation is that those numbers climb sharply in 2026. He also stayed involved during the playoffs instead of fading into the background, and that steady engagement is part of why the Rams think he’s ready for a bigger jump.
Smith’s 2025 season came in two very different halves. He became a real weapon at receiver, using his speed and catch rate to make Tutu Atwell, the 10-million-dollar man, expendable. But the memory that lingers is his muffed punt in the NFC Championship Game, a play that sat at the end of a Rams special teams season that was anything but special.
Still, Smith has had a full offseason to reset. The Rams have not brought in competition for punt returner, which leaves him with a clear runway. He has been a one-stop shop for special teams duties, and now he gets another chance to show he can handle it.
None of this is being framed as a fallback plan. Mumpfield, Stewart and Smith are simply the Rams’ most intriguing young bets to deliver real upside in 2026. If Mumpfield, a seventh-round pick, or Stewart, a third-rounder, make a substantial leap, last year’s underwhelming draft class starts to look a lot better in a hurry.
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That is why the familiar veteran temptation should probably stay just that. Deebo Samuel is still out there, along with names like Stefon Diggs and DeAndre Hopkins, but Samuels recent production and the baggage that can come with a high-profile addition make him a tricky fit for a Rams offense already built around established targets. Adding him would also cut into the development path for the younger receivers battling for snaps, and Los Angeles appears more likely to let that competition play out than to crowd it with another big name. [Read more 🡒]
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One possible answer has emerged in the form of a veteran left tackle who is suddenly available after Detroit moved on for salary reasons. Entering his 11th season, he was still viewed as a serviceable starter last year, which is enough to make him an appealing fallback for a Rams team that knows how valuable a steady blind-side presence can be. The question now is whether Los Angeles wants to make another experienced swing on the line before the problem turns into something bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Donald Rumor Has Rams Fans Dreaming About 2026
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The timeline remains fuzzy, but the expectation is that Donald would not be around when training camp opens and would miss the early stretch of practices. Still, the possibility of him being available for much of the 2026 season is enough to keep the speculation alive, especially after reports that he has told some inside the organization he is leaning toward a return. For now, the Rams are left with a familiar kind of suspense, the sort that comes with wondering whether one of the franchises defining players has another run left in him. [Read more 🡒]