The Los Angeles Rams have worked to brush off their final loss of the 2024-25 season, bring back Matthew Stafford, recharge the roster, and now are getting ready to stand on the diving board heading into 2025.
Every year, teams have the blanket expectation of winning the Super Bowl, but they first need to iron out smaller goals until the stars align or they’ve fixed enough problems on the team to get to a Super Bowl level. Here’s a look at four expectations the Rams must accomplish in 2025, whether they get to the Big Game or not.
#1 – Determine Whether a New Plan Is Needed at Running Back
For a time, Kyren Williams seemed to be the solution at running back by himself. However, a lack of explosivity and some fumble issues have cropped up, and now there is a question on whether the team needs to pen a different plan. They drafted Jarquez Hunter in the fourth round, so there appears to be at least a whispered message being sent by the team.
Williams is currently working on a contract extension. This has been a precarious spot for Rams players recently. Just last year, the Rams shipped Ernest Jones to the Tennessee Titans rather than extend him.
Whether Hunter can overtake Williams is a question. If he can’t, the Rams need to learn whether they can trust Williams going forward or if they need to get a premium running back prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft. At the end of 18 weeks, they need to have a clear answer.
#2 – Rebound Into Top 10 Offense
The Rams ranked seventh in offensive yards per game in 2023 and slipped to 15th in 2024. They’ll need to reverse the slide to get back into the top ten.
They should have the tools to get it done with Sean McVay and a reloaded receiving room. Davante Adams should be up to speed by Week 1 after coming off a 1000-yard season in 2024, and the Rams did make multiple moves to boost the offense in the Draft. However, if the Rams fail to hit a new gear on offense, many will accuse Stafford of being the culprit.
#3 – Make Significant Progress in Pass Rush Room
The Rams have been somewhat stuck in lukewarm territory in terms of the team’s sacks earned team-wide in recent years (21st in sacks in 2024). Prime-era Aaron Donald is no longer here, which means the Rams need to pull every lever to get their sack numbers up.
There are reasons to be optimistic with Les Snead drafting Josaiah Stewart in the 2025 NFL Draft, but the defensive scheme may also need a touch-up with creative blitzes at the perfect time as well. One also can’t forget about Jared Verse’s positive impact, but the team needs more from everyone. As for Verse, he has acknowledged his part in the sack deficit. He will be aiming for double-digit sacks from himself.
#4 – Win a Playoff Game and the NFC West
Above all, the Rams need to go on another deep playoff run and win the NFC West. If they fail to do so, it will look like a step back, even if they accomplish every other goal on the list.
This will mean winning at least 10-12 games and defeating a playoff opponent who also most likely won 10-12 games. At least when it comes to the perception of Stafford at age 37, any step back team-wide will be traced back to him, whether it’s fair or not.
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