Quarterback Matthew Stafford is clearly the most important player to the Los Angeles Rams, but he isn’t the only person on the team who can change the course of a game.
The Rams have many other pieces around Stafford that make them among the best teams in the NFL, on both sides of the ball. The 33rd Team’s Steve Palazzolo and Sam Monson debated the Rams’ most essential non-QB on the “Check the Mic” podcast and concluded that it’s a toss-up between Myles Garrett and Puka Nacua.
“I think it has to be Myles Garrett,” Monson argued during the segment. “Puka Nacua is really important to them. He’s obviously in there as well, but given the trade, given the fact that they opted into shipping away a really high-end young pass rusher [in Jared Verse] because of the upgrade that Myles Garrett is, because they’re basically bringing in the best player in the NFL over the last few years because they think that’s he’s got that kind of upgrade impact. It has to be Garrett.”
However, Palazzolo believes the conversation between Garrett and Nacua being most valuable is a “1A, 1B”situation. Nacua’s historic production has quickly cemented him as an elite cornerstone after coming off a spectacular season in 2025. Nacua led the entire NFL with an incredible 129 receptions, racking up 1,715 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. His unique capacity to dictate coverage structures makes him irreplaceable to the aerial attack.
“I give Garrett the nod, he’s the guy,” Palazzolo said, “But … if you’re debating between a receiver who could be the best receiver in the league in Puka and an edge rusher who is the best edge rusher in the league in Myles Garrett. I mean, those are the two positions you’re looking at and the Rams have a case for either one of those guys being the best at their respective positions.
“So Puka’s in there. The offense changes with him. You can win all over the place. You can win after the catch. Stafford’s trust, like all of those things are true.”
As the franchise prepares for the upcoming season, both cornerstone pieces will undoubtedly play massively important roles in 2026. While Garrett provides the defensive frontline with the blue-chip firepower necessary to shut down elite postseason offenses, Nacua gives Stafford a trusted, high-volume safety valve capable of sustaining drives against any secondary.
Together, their parallel dominance on opposite sides of the ball will ultimately dictate whether the Rams can turn their current championship window into a successful Super Bowl run.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams most important non-QB likely between two players
Reporting by Oliver G., Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Oliver G., Rams Wire | USA TODAY Network
