The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are wrapping up the first week of what is roughly a six-week break between their final offseason practice and the start of training camp. While the focus in the offseason was on playbook installation and getting all 91 players on the same page so that competition can begin in earnest in training camp, attention soon will turn to the specific challenges the team will face during the 2026 season. As such, with the schedule now laid out, we are taking a closer look at each opponent on the Bucs' schedule, examining what they did last season, which players and coaches have come and gone in the offseason and some as-yet-unanswered questions. Today's focus is on a Los Angeles Rams team that is first in NFL history to head into a season with both the reigning MVP and the reigning Defensive Player of the Year on its roster.

2025 Results

The Rams made the playoffs for the third year in a row in 2025 and seventh time in the last nine seasons, finishing with a 12-5 record and in second place in the ultra-competitive NFC West. They subsequently won two three-point games on the road in the playoffs before finally falling to in the NFC championship game to their division rivals, the Seattle Seahawks. It was the Rams first time in the conference championship game since the 2021 season, when they went on to win Super Bowl LVI. The Rams only lost one game by more than three points and none by more than seven.

Los Angeles rushed out to a 9-2 start that included a six-game winning streak and did not lose consecutive games until Weeks 16 and 17. The opener was a tight, low-scoring game against the Texans and their formidable defense, and the Rams trailed 9-7 in the second half before Mattthew Stafford threw the game-winning touchdown pass to tight end Davis Allen. Cobie Durant subsequently intercepted C.J. Stroud to kill one drive and a drive to the Rams' 25 on Houston's final possession ended in a Dare Ogunbowale fumble. The offense picked up a week later as a 45-yard touchdown run by wide receiver Puka Nacua keyed a 33-19 win at Tennessee.

L.A.'s first loss was in Philadelphia in Week Three and it featured one of the most unlikely endings of any NFL game in 2025. After Philadelphia had taken a one-point lead with 1:48 left, the Rams got in position for Joshua Karty to try a 44-yard game-winning field goal at the gun, but 336-pound defensive tackle Jordan Davis blocked the kick, scooped up the ball and rumbled61 yards for a touchdown and a 33-26 win. After a home win over Indianapolis, the Rams played their first division game, also at home against the 49ers, and lost in overtime, 26-23. Stafford's three touchdown passes were not enough, as backup Mac Jones also threw for 342 yards and Eddy Pineiro's four field goals included a 59-yarder late in the fourth quarter and the 41-yard game-winner in the extra period.

That's when the Rams ripped off their six-game run, which included wins over Baltimore, Jacksonville, San Francisco and Seattle. The L.A. defense was superb in this stretch, allowing 10or few points in four of the six wins, including a 17-3 win at Baltimore and a 35-7 drubbing of the Jaguars. Stafford threw five touchdown passes in that latter contest in Jacksonville, three to wide receiver Davante Adams, and the Rams' defense sacked Trevor Lawrence seven times.

After a bye in Week Eight and an easy win over the visiting Saints, the Rams got their chance to even the series with the 49ers and succeeded in doing so, prevailing 42-26 on the road. Stafford remained red hot, tossing another four touchdown passes. The Seahawks came to town next for the first of three nailbiters between the two dominant teams. Los Angeles picked off Sam Darnold four times, two by safety Kamren Kinchens, Kenneth Walker scored the go-aheadtouchdown on a one-yard plunge late in the fourth quarter and the 21-19 victory was sealed when Seattle kicker Jason Myers came up short on a 61-yard field goal attempt as time expired. Los Angeles finished off its streak the following week at home with a 34-7 drubbing of the visiting Buccaneers, who were held to just 193 yards of total offense.

A surprising 31-28 loss at Carolina ended the run, though the Panthers would later prove it wasn'ta fluke when they took L.A. down to the wire in the Wild Card round. Stafford was picked off twice in this one, with one returned for a touchdown, and he lost a fumble deep in Panthersterritory to end the Rams' final drive. The L.A. offense was in high gear the next two weeks with wins of 45-17 over Arizona and 41-34 over Detroit.

Then, in Week 16, the Rams and Seahawks engaged in a rematch in Seattle in what proved to be one of the most consequential games on the entire NFL schedule in 2025. Stafford threw three scoring passes to help the visitors build a 30-14 lead early in the fourth quarter, but a 58-yards Rashid Shaheed punt return touchdown sparked a rally and, after a Darnold touchdown pass made it 30-28, the Seahawks went for two for the second drive in a row. This one appeared to fail when a swing pass to running back Zach Charbonnet was ruled incomplete, but after the ball rolled into the end zone, Charbonnet casually picked it up as players started to leave the field. After a break, the play was reviewed and it was ruled that the play was a fumble so Charbonnet picking up the ball in the end zone was a recovery that scored the two points. In overtime, the Rams got the ball first and Nacua scored on a 41-yard catch, but when the Seahawks subsequently scored on Jaxon Smith-Njigba's touchdown catch, the home team went for two and won the game on another Smith-Njigba grab.

The Rams were still just one game behind the Seahawks in the West standings with two weeks to go, but a painful loss in Atlanta by a 27-24 margin in Week 17 meant Seattle just had to eat San Francisco in Week 18 to win the division, which it was able to do. Los Angeles closed out its regular season with a 37-20 win over Arizona and got the fifth seed in the NFC via tiebreaker over the 49ers.

In their rematch in the playoffs, the Panthers and Rams once again took it down to the end in Charlotte with four lead changes in the last 20 minutes. Two of Stafford's three touchdown passes in the Rams' 34-31 win came in the fourth quarter, including the game-winner to tight end Colby Parkinson, who made a dazzling, spinning grab right by the right pylon. The next weekend in Chicago, the Rams shook off an incredible fourth-down touchdown pass by Caleb Williams that tied the game with 18 seconds left, with safety Kam Curl intercepting Williams in overtime to set up Harrison Mevis's 42-yard game-winner.

That led to the third chapter of Rams-Seahawks, this time back in Seattle. Both Stafford and Darnold were brilliant, each throwing for well over 300 yards and three touchdowns, but the visitors couldn't quite rally from a 24-13 second-half deficit as the Seattle defense held inside its 10-yard line with five minutes left in regulation and neither team scored in the fourth quarter of a 31-27 final.

Stafford won his first MVP award in 2025 after leading the NFL in passing yards (4,707) andtouchdown passes (46) and compiling a career-best 109.2 passer rating. He was surrounded by a wide array of some of the NFL's best skill-position players, including wide receiver Puka Nacua, who racked up 1,715 receiving yards and 11 total touchdowns to finish third in the NFL Offensive Player of the Year balloting. He was joined in the pass-catching corps by ageless wideout Davante Adams, who led the team with 14 touchdowns, and an array of tight ends as Head Coach Sean McVay turned to a surprisingly heavy dose of two and three-TE sets. Kyren Williams led the rushing attack with 1,252 yards and 10 touchdowns and the Rams' strong offensive line helped L.A. rank second in sacks per pass play allowed and sixth in yards per carry. With all of that firepower and the MVP at the helm, it's not surprising that the Rams finished first in the NFL in both yards and points, as well as in yards per play, passing yards per game and first downs.

The Rams' defense was also in the top 10 in scoring, allowing 20.4 points per game to finish 10th, helping create a points differential of 10.1 per game that was second in the NFL. Even though the Rams ranked just 17th in yards allowed they were third in red zone touchdown percentage allowed, helping to explain the scoring ranking. Pass rushers Jared Verse and Byron Young both made the Pro Bowl after recording 7.5 and 12.0 sacks, respectively. After signing a one-year deal with L.A., linebacker Nate Landman had a breakout season, combining 132 tackles with 2.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss, five QB hits, one interception, six passes defensed, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

2026 Arrivals

In terms of sheer volume of moves, the Rams did not have a particularly busy offseason. In terms of the impact of the moves they did make, no team had a bigger offseason than Los Angeles.

It wasn't the first one, but the most ground shaking move the Rams made was, of course, the trade for reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year on June 1. Los Angeles sent Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick to get the game-changing defender who just last season set the NFL single-season record with 23.0 sacks. In his nine seasons so far, Garrett has hit double digits in all but one, his rookie campaign, and overall he has 125.5 sacks in 134 career games.

That was the second blockbuster deal the Rams swung in the offseason; the first addressed what they had identified as their most glaring need: cornerback upgrades. Prior to the start of free agency, the Rams continued with their "eff them picks" philosophy and sent this year's first, fifth and sixth-round picks plus a 2027 third to Kansas City to acquire star cover corner Trent McDuffie. They then quickly handed McDuffie a four-year, $124 million contract extension. After free agency began, the Rams doubled down on Chiefs cornerbacks by signing Jaylen Watson to a three-year, $51 million deal. McDuffie was a first-team AP All-Pro choice in 2023 and a second-team selection in 2024. Watson is a seventh-round success story who had two picks and 2.0 sacks in 15 games last season. Both are expected to start at the outside spots with Quinten Lake staying in the slot.

The only other defensive additions were depth signings or special teams help. Former Lions linebacker Grant Stuard came to L.A. on a two-year, $4.5 million deal. Stuard is considered a special teams ace and he had 15 kick-coverage tackles in 2025. Los Angeles only used one of its five draft picks on a defender, taking Alabama defensive tackle Tim Keenan in the seventh round. Earlier in June, the Rams added a little extra depth at edge rusher by signing former Giant Tomon Fox, who had two starts and 2.0 sacks in four seasons in New York.

The Rams' most significant addition on offense is one they probably hope won't see the field in 2026. Los Angeles stunned many by taking Alabama's Ty Simpson at pick number 13 in April as just the second quarterback off the board. Simpson has a good arm and decent movement skillsbut he'll sit behind Stafford as long as the veteran is healthy and still on the roster.

The Rams' next pick, in the second round, was Ohio State tight end Max Klare, who joins what was already a deep tight end room with Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higbee and Terrance Ferguson, the lattermost of whom was a second-round pick just last year. Klare is an athletic tight end who had 94 catches for the Buckeyes the past two years but isn't known for his blocking prowess. The third round but some offensive line depth in Missouri's Keagen Trost, who could play either tackle or guard. The sixth round delivered Miami wide receiver C.J. Daniels.

Finally, the Rams will have a new long-snapper in 2026 after giving Joe Cardona a two-year deal. Cardona played in Miami last year after 10 seasons with the Patriots.

2026 Departures

Los Angeles let much of its 2025 cornerback crew walk in free agency, and all settled for modest one-year deals. Cobie Durant went to Dallas for a $4 million pact after tying for the team last year with three interceptions. Ahkello Witherspoon, who started 24 games over the past three seasons in L.A. and had five picks in that span, went to Washington. Roger McCreary and Derion Kendrick, each of whom spent just one year with the Rams and played in six or fewer games, moved to Detroit and Dallas, respectively.

Edge Nick Hampton, a former fifth-round pick who did not have a sack in his three L.A. seasons, moved on to Carolina. Linebacker Troy Reeder played in 17 games and started one, contributing 11 tackles on defense and 14 on special teams, but he has not been re-signed.

Stafford's backup the past two seasons, Jimmy Garoppolo has also not been re-signed as he reportedly considers retirement. Wide receiver Tutu Atwell left for a one-year agreement in Miami after catching just six passes last year (albeit for 192 yards). Other players from last year's roster who haven't been re-signed include tackle D.J. Humphries, tight end Nick Vannett and long-snapper Jake McQuaide. Humphries has 101 career starts but just three in the last two years, including one for the Rams in 2025. Vannett was signed off the Vikings' practice squad in November but did not have a catch in six games.

Pressing Questions

Will Matthew Stafford play all 17 games again, and if he doesn't will Ty Simpson be ready?

There really aren't many questions surrounding the 2026 Rams who currently sit atop the oddsmakers chart of Super Bowl favorites. And there isn't any question about Stafford as he comes off perhaps his best season ever and an MVP campaign in his 17th year in the league. There is certainly no questioning the quarterback's toughness; he is practically legendary for playing through ailments. Still, he's 38 years old and he did miss half the season with injuries in 2022, so there's always the possibility he misses time. He played all 17 games last season and 31of a possible 34 in 2023 and 2024, and the Rams are undoubtedly confident he will be under center for all of 2026. If Stafford does suffer some injury misfortune, it appears the Rams would turn to the rookie Simpson, drafted as an eventual successor to the veteran star. Simpson's strength are accuracy and timing, and if Sean McVay wanted him its surely because McVay believes he has the processing skills to operate his offense efficiently. That said, there is a limited amount of evidence as to how good Simpson could be, given that he was only a starter for one season and he tailed off significantly in that season after a very hot start after suffering a variety of injuries. There's no guarantee that Simpson could keep the Rams' offense humming if he is forced into action, so even if Stafford is a good bet to play 17 games it's still worth contemplating what would happen if for some reason he did not.

Will Aaron Donald come out of retirement to team up with Myles Garrett?

Rumors of Donald coming back after retiring in 2024 began almost immediately after the Rams acquired Garrett in June, and he has reportedly confirmed that he's considering the idea. Donald is 35 and hasn't played since June of 2024, but he famously has kept himself in great shape and was still dominant right up to the point of his retirement. There are few that doubt he would make a serious impact on the Rams' defense, even if possibly in a reduced number of snaps. The thought of trying to block both Donald and Garrett – two of the greatest defenders of their generation – would be terrifying to opposing coaches and offensive linemen. The Rams addressed their biggest shortcoming in the secondary in thorough fashion and will likely have a strong pass rush already with Garrett, Byron Young, Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske, but the return of Donald would surely take that defense to another level.