Les Snead and Sean McVay set their sights on one particular position group this offseason as an area that needed major improvement: cornerback. They addressed it early and aggressively, first trading for Trent McDuffie and then signing Jaylen Watson in free agency.
McDuffie has gotten a lot of the attention as a blockbuster addition, but Watson is also an impact player who will make a major difference in the secondary. With championship pedigree and a boatload of talent, Watson is set to help the Rams in a significant way.
He made the top 10 of our list ranking the Rams’ most important players, coming in at No. 8.
How he got here
Early in free agency, the Rams signed Watson to a three-year deal worth $51 million, which included $34 million guaranteed. It was a sizable contract for the former Chiefs cornerback, keeping him and McDuffie together for at least a few more years.
Watson originally came into the NFL as a seventh-round pick by the Chiefs in 2022 after finishing his college career at Washington State.
2025 stats
15 games (15 starts): 64 tackles, 2 interceptions, 2 sacks, 6 passes defensed, 3 tackles for a loss
Projected role
Watson is expected to be the Rams’ No. 2 cornerback, working alongside McDuffie as a starter in the secondary. With his 6-foot-2 frame and physical style of play, Watson figures to be almost exclusively a boundary corner, lining up outside against bigger receivers.
He only played 14 total snaps in the slot the last two years, and that’s not likely to change very much in Los Angeles. He can play man or zone coverage, but he’s particularly good when matched up man-to-man against tall receivers who don’t threaten vertically with exceptional speed.
One thing to know
Watson was one of the NFL’s best run-stopping cornerbacks last season. He earned a grade of 83.5 from PFF, the fifth-best of any corner in football – slightly ahead of McDuffie at No. 8. He only missed four tackles all year, with a minuscule miss rate of 5.9%.
Why he’s important
The Rams have struggled against bigger receivers in recent years, players such as Michael Wilson, A.J. Brown and even Tetairoa McMillan. Watson will help against those types of receivers with his physical play style and size on the outside.
He can press at the line of scrimmage and re-route receivers to not only throw off the timing of the play, but also give the pass rush more time to get home. And with how strong the Rams’ pass rush is projected to be, he can be aggressive when it comes to jumping routes and trying to create turnovers.
Watson’s man coverage skills and size allow the Rams to be more creative with their coverages and plans of attack.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams’ 26 most important players for 2026 – No. 8: CB Jaylen Watson
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire | USA TODAY Network
