When the Rams report to Loyola Marymount University for training camp this weekend, they will arrive as the betting favorites to win the Super Bowl. That’s what happens when you add All-Pros like Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie to a team that lost in the NFC championship game, while returning all the key contributors of an offense that led the NFL in scoring.
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But as head coach Sean McVay has insisted since the trade for Garrett, championships aren’t handed to you. They are earned day by day, starting with these weeks in college dorms.
So what questions must the Rams answer before they can return to the mountaintop? Here’s a look at what steps this summer might define their successes this fall:
Will Aaron Donald un-retire?
This has been the question of the summer. Since the trade for Garrett, speculation has been rampant about whether Donald would end his two-year retirement to return for another run at a championship at 35 years old.
The speculation has only grown more heated as players such as Garrett and Davante Adams have subtly recruited Donald on social media, and when Donald was caught on camera doing football drills at the Rams’ practice facility this month. Donald has kept himself in prime shape, but football isn’t riding a bike. Can he summon the mental strength needed for a return? If he does, he will see more single-team blocks than he ever has with Garrett on the outside.
Is Ty Simpson ready for NFL action?
The first-round rookie quarterback most likely won’t need to be ready for Week 1 with reigning MVP Matthew Stafford back for his Age 38 season. But if Stafford – who dealt with a back issue last year – misses time, will Simpson be ready for the NFL game after making just 15 starts in his college career at Alabama? Or will the Rams need to bring in a more veteran option as their backup quarterback during this championship window?
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What will happen with Alaric Jackson?
The left tackle was arrested on a felony domestic violence charge in June after allegedly scratching a woman while trying to take away her phone while she recorded him. The LA County District Attorney’s office declined to file charges, but after being suspended in 2024 for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, he could face further league discipline. Veteran David Quessenberry would be Jackson’s likely replacement in the event of a suspension, but played only 18 offensive snaps in 2025.
Who is WR3?
There’s no question about the top of the receiver room with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams back in the fold. But no one truly emerged as the third option in the room a year ago, especially as the Rams shifted toward three-tight end formations. Is Xavier Smith ready to be a more reliable option? Will Konata Mumpfield make a Year 2 jump? Can Jordan Whittington be more than run blocker? Is C.J. Daniels ready to play as a rookie?
Who is the third outside corner?
The Rams overhauled their cornerback room with the additions of McDuffie and Jaylen Watson. But McDuffie’s ability to move inside to nickel means the Rams will need someone else to play on the outside opposite of Watson from time to time. Can Emmanuel Forbes provide some physicality and earn playing time? Is Josh Wallace ready to play more outside after focusing on safety and nickel last season? Will the team add a veteran to the roster?
What does Myles Garrett do for the rest of the pass rush?
Last year’s defense was built around the pass rush, but the group struggled to close out snaps with sacks. Jared Verse, traded to Cleveland in the Garrett blockbuster, commanded some extra attention that freed up the likes of Byron Young and Kobie Turner, but nothing compared to what Garrett will do to opposing offensive game plans. If Garrett is drawing double and triple teams at his usual rate, how does open things up for Young, Turner and Braden Fiske? And can they turn those opportunities into game-changing plays?
Are the special teams fixed?
There’s no question special teams sunk the Rams in 2025, from missed kicks to blown coverages to fumbled punts. Kicker Harrison Mevis’ addition last year helped clean up the field-goal unit, but the group still struggled as a whole. So what kind of impact will Bubba Ventrone have as the new special teams coordinator? And will his presence eliminate the back-breaking mistakes that characterized 2025?
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