The Los Angeles Rams enter the 2026 season with the highest expectations in the NFL after taking a roster that made the NFC Championship Game last season and adding All-Pro defenders Trent McDuffie and Myles Garrett this offseason.
With the Kansas City Chiefs remaining an unknown, the NFL doesn’t have that force at the top of the pedestal. The Rams, however, are likely to be the team that everyone has an increased interest in beating. Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame stated that the Rams becoming the clear favorite to win the Super Bowl is good for the league.
“Sports are always at their best when one team is the hunted,” wrote Verderame. “This season, the Rams are such a team.”
The NFL understands the star power of the Rams, and the league is looking to cash in with a schedule that is bound to induce high viewership. The Rams are set to play six teams that made the playoffs last season. They’re also set to take on Patrick Mahomes, Jaxson Dart, Jayden Daniels, and other top stars in 2026.
They’re in win-now mode, too, with several key players set to become free agents after the 2026 season, including Puka Nacua, Kevin Dotson and Byron Young.
And for Los Angeles, the pressure is immense. The Rams have a slew of big-name free agents after this season, including defensive linemen Byron Young and Kobie Turner, guards Steve Avila and Kevin Dotson, Adams and Nacua, and more. Plus, with Stafford nearing 40 years old, time is short. It’s a year-to-year proposition for Los Angeles, and this appears its best shot with so much draft capital out the door.
The Rams have put the pressure on themselves. Now it’s time to see if they’re built for the moment.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Why the Rams and their high expectations are good for football
Reporting by Brock Vierra, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brock Vierra, Rams Wire | USA TODAY Network
