The Los Angeles Rams have done well to keep their own players in-house this year. General manager Les Snead re-signed Alaric Jackson, Kyren Williams and now Quentin Lake to long-term extensions, as well as locked in 2025 free agent Nate Landman for the future.
But those weren’t the only Rams players who needed new contracts. L.A. has been able to remain competitive because a lot of its top players are on cheaper deals. If the Rams want to stay at the top of the league, they need to look at keeping some of these guys around a little longer.
Here’s a list of seven other Rams players who deserve new contracts, which includes impending 2026 free agents as well as some extension-eligible players.
WR Puka Nacua
Let’s start with the most obvious one first. Nacua has gotten better every year he’s been in the league and caught at least 300 passes in fewer games than any receiver in NFL history. He is Matthew Stafford’s top target and will continue to be the focal point of the offense regardless of who is under center.
An extension for Nacua is reportedly the top priority for the Rams this offseason, although it’s unclear if he’ll make market-setting money or just top-10 money at his position. Whatever it is, the Rams need to pay it.
DT Kobie Turner
If Nacua is the lifeblood of the offense, then Turner is his defensive counterpart. Turner has 24 sacks and 43 quarterback hits in his three seasons and is always a force in the center of the defensive line. He’s established himself as a premiere interior defensive lineman and will get compensated as such either this offseason or the next.
L.A. could wait another year to extend Turner if they want to focus on a Nacua extension in 2026, but the price might continue to go up if they wait.
EDGE Byron Young
Young might be the most replaceable of the Rams’ extension-eligible players from the 2023 draft class. Not because he’s not a good player, but because he’ll be one of the most expensive players at a position where the Rams have been able to build depth. Jared Verse is already an elite edge rusher and 2025 rookie Josiah Stewart has looked great in limited snaps.
Regardless, the Rams should try to keep Young at all costs. He’s taken his game to another level in 2025 with a career-best 11 sacks and has proven to disrupt opponents at the line of scrimmage whenever he gets leverage. He might be costly, but it’ll be worth it.
OG Steve Avila
Avila has been a staple of the Rams’ offensive line since his rookie year and has started at least 10 games every year since 2023, only missing starts due to injury. The continuity of the offensive line has been a big reason for L.A.’s continued offensive excellence, and they’d be hard-pressed to find another player to insert as easily as Avila.
S Kamren Curl
Curl is one of the most unheralded members of the defense. The former Washington Commanders safety already has a career-best 117 combined tackles in 2025, and his two interceptions and two sacks are his best at those stats since his rookie season in 2020.
Would the Rams want to invest money in another safety? Maybe not. But Curl has shown he can be a force in Chris Shula’s defense and certainly deserves another contract.
LS Jake McQuaide
McQuaide returned to the Rams after a four-year hiatus to stabilize the team’s kicking apparatus. Since he and Harrison Mevis became starters, the Rams have missed one field goal and none of their 35 extra point attempts.
Long snapper is an incredibly niche position in the NFL, but McQuaide is among the best in the league. L.A. saw what happened when they let him go and they should try to keep him around longer.
QB Jimmy Garoppolo
This is all about having a backup plan at the most important position in football. Garoppolo is probably the best backup quarterback in the NFL and provides a lot of stability both in running the offense and in performance on the field in case of injury.
It’s unclear if Matthew Stafford will play another season in the NFL, but the Rams should keep Garoppolo regardless of whether the team goes in another direction at quarterback or not. He knows the system and his experience is immensely valuable for a team that will continue to compete.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: 7 other Rams players who deserve contract extensions
Reporting by Tyler Greenawalt, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
