The Los Angeles Rams haven’t made the volume of offseason moves that some other teams have, but the signings and trades they have made certainly moved the needle. They first acquired Trent McDuffie in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs before then signing his teammate, Jaylen Watson, in free agency.
ESPN’s panel of analysts was asked to pick the best moves of NFL free agency so far and two Rams additions were selected. Matt Bowen picked the signing of Watson as his favorite move of free agency, raving about his fit in Chris Shula’s defense.
Matt Bowen, NFL analyst: The Rams signing cornerback Jaylen Watson. After trading for Kansas City’s Trent McDuffie, the Rams added another Chiefs cornerback. With his physical coverage traits and ability to align in press, Watson fits as the boundary matchup versus the X receiver. That will allow McDuffie to play to wide side of the field in coordinator Chris Shula’s defense.
Jordan Reid also highlighted a move made by the Rams as the best of free agency. Only, his wasn’t a signing, per se. It was Los Angeles’ trade for McDuffie.
Reid likes McDuffie’s ability to play in the slot or on the outside, helping the Rams in two different areas as needed. While Reid admits the Rams gave up a lot, he thinks it was an important addition, especially with Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Seattle.
Jason Reid, senior Andscape writer: The Rams trading for McDuffie. Seattle wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba tormented the Rams this season, capping his Offensive Player of the Year campaign with 10 receptions, 153 yards and a touchdown in the NFC Championship Game. The Rams gave up a lot of draft capital for McDuffie and then made him the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback, but he could be outstanding for L.A. in the slot and on the boundary. Cincinnati All-Pro wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase can attest to that.
As impactful as these moves by the Rams will be, Los Angeles may not be done. It was reported that the Rams tried to trade for A.J. Brown, though they appear to be out of the sweepstakes now. They still have another first-round pick after trading for McDuffie, which they could use to acquire a veteran, if someone they like becomes available.
Even if Los Angeles doesn’t make another big splash, the roster is significantly better than it was after the 2025 season ended. The Rams sure look like Super Bowl contenders, even becoming the favorites to win it all last season.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: ESPN analysts pick 2 Rams moves as the best of NFL free agency
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
