The Los Angeles Rams are gearing up for cutdown season. After months of building up the roster, the rubber is going to meet the road in the coming days, and the roster will shrink as the regular season approaches.
As the team focuses on the bottom of the roster, one truth surrounds the team on the opposite end: there will be an exclusive group of players who will influence outcomes more than anyone.
If those players play well, the Rams will win. If they struggle, the Rams will lose. Here’s a look at the most important players on the roster heading into 2025.
Davante Adams, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Davante Adams was clearly brought aboard to fill the Cooper Kupp veteran role in the wide receiver room. However, if he doesn’t deliver in games with stiff secondaries in which Puka Nacua is locked up, Matthew Stafford could essentially be stuck.
If that happens, the Rams are highly likely to lose, considering the questions in their secondary heading into the season (more on that later). Adams hasn’t had a sub-900-yard season since 2017, so the bar is relatively high for the receiver to deliver once again.
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Kyren Williams, RB
It’s easy to say that Kyren Williams’ success leans more on the offensive line than anything else. However, arguably more than any other non-quarterback position, Williams can lose any game he’s part of with 316 carries in 2024 alone.
Williams has fumbled eight times in the past two seasons, and it can only take one fumble to ruin a game. Williams might not be able to win every game he’s part of on his own, but he can lose them.
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Joshua Karty, K
Every season, there’s a story of at least one team that would have several more wins had their kicker hit their kicks or possessed a greater range that would have allowed the team to net an extra 3-6 points. This year, Joshua Karty will hold several games in the palm of his hand (foot?).
Karty hit on 85.3% of his field goal attempts in 2024. He will aim to improve on that number this year. Whether he improves or takes a step back could be the difference between a 10-win season and a 12-win season.
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Darious Williams, CB
Darious Williams has seen bright moments with the Rams, but he is coming off a season that has created some questions. As potentially the top starting cornerback heading into the season, Williams will be the first line of defense.
If the 32-year-old cornerback can stop opposing wide receivers, the Rams will be in solid shape to contend. However, if he allows big plays consistently to the long list of stars he’s likely to face, it will place an inordinate amount of pressure on the offense.
This would make things much more difficult or, perhaps, even impossible for Stafford’s offense.
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Matthew Stafford, QB
One of the foundational understandings of football is that it’s a quarterback-driven league. As the player who touches the ball more than anyone else, Stafford holds the fate of the team in his hands. If he throws five interceptions and zero touchdowns, the Rams will lose 99% of the time.
However, if he throws for five touchdowns and zero interceptions, the Rams will win the vast majority of their games.
Stafford has proven to be the man so far, so there should be little worry about the negative extreme. Still, it makes him the most important player on the squad.
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