Xavier Smith enters this season with something he didn’t really have last year: a real opening.
The Rams have spent years chasing a downfield playmaker Sean McVay could count on, and Smith now has a chance to step into that role after a season in which he quietly became part of the offense for the first time. He wasn’t technically a rookie, but 2025 marked his first involvement in Los Angeles’ attack, and McVay eventually leaned on him when Tutu Atwell was injured and ineffective.
The results were modest, but Smith handled the assignment. He finished with 18 catches for 303 yards and three touchdowns, while also continuing to work as a kick returner.
For an undrafted free agent, that was enough to keep the door open. For the Rams, it also left the possibility that they may have found a low-cost answer to a problem that has lingered for years.
Atwell’s departure only sharpens that opportunity. Smith should step into the same space right away, and this time he’ll have a chance to build timing with Matthew Stafford during training camp. That matters, because no Rams receiver got that chance last year with Stafford sidelined by a bad back.
Smith’s usage suggests the Rams already see him in a similar lane to Atwell. He’s listed at 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, nearly the same size as Atwell, and he brings the same kind of straight-line speed, clocking a 4.38 in the 40. Last season, Los Angeles targeted him at an average depth of 16.8 yards, which lines up with the vertical role the Rams have been trying to fill for a while.
The workload still won’t be massive. Smith isn’t built to be an every-down receiver, and his size limits how much he can help as a blocker. But McVay can still find ways to feature him more often, especially on screen passes and throws in the flat where Smith’s speed can turn a short touch into more.
That’s what makes this different from last season. Smith isn’t fighting for scraps anymore.
With Puka Nacua and Davante Adams ahead of him, there’s still room for someone to claim a meaningful supplementary role, and Smith has a clean path to do it. If he takes advantage, the Rams may finally have the kind of inexpensive deep threat McVay has been hunting for all along.
In Other News...
Rams May Finally Have An Answer For Their Costliest Problem
The Rams spent the offseason treating special teams like the problem that kept showing up at the worst possible time, and they responded with a full reset. Bubba Ventrone was brought in to run the unit with Kyle Hoke alongside him, while the roster moves followed the same theme: keep Harrison Mevis after his strong kicking finish, add veteran long snapper Joe Cardona, and bring in linebacker Grant Stuard to help tighten up the coverage and physical edge.
It is a clear attempt to clean up the kinds of mistakes that can swing a game without ever becoming the headline. Missed kicks, shaky blocking, tackling breakdowns and penalties all fed into a frustrating stretch last season, and the Rams are betting that a different coaching structure plus a few targeted additions can stop special teams from being a hidden drain on their margin for error. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Are Making A Massive Bet On Their Next Right Tackle
Warren McClendons name is suddenly carrying a lot more weight along the Rams offensive line. After stepping in capably last season when called on, he now looks like the player Los Angeles is willing to trust on the right side as the long-term answer once Rob Havensteins retirement fully takes hold. The Rams decision not to bring in a tackle who looks like an obvious direct challenger only sharpens the point: they appear comfortable letting McClendon grow into the job rather than forcing a quicker fix.
That makes the upcoming season a meaningful one for McClendon, because his play will help shape both the stability of the line and the teams larger planning at the position. He is also entering a contract season, which adds another layer to the stakes. Los Angeles has signaled belief in him by the way it has handled the offseason, but now the Rams need that confidence to be rewarded when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]