10 of our boldest predictions for the Los Angeles Rams 2025 offseason

With the opportunity for NFL teams to designate players who are facing expiring contracts with either the Franchise or Transitional tags, the Los Angeles Rams have managed to draw close enough to the 2025 NFL season to warrant another gaze into the crystal ball. If you haven't guessed what that means, it's time to give Punxatawny Phil, that weather forecasting groundhog, a run for his money at prognosticating.

We tried our hand at the 10 bold prediction for 2024, and feel that we batted .500. The only matters of dispute was the fact that the team did not extend C Coleman Shelton, and the team did re-sign DB John Johnson III. In Shelton's case, the team did intend on extending Shelton, but the front office pivoted to Detroit Lions IOL Jonah Jackson instead. And in the case of John Johnson III, the team did not re-sign JJIII until the team needed his veteran leadership back to help a secondary deal with unexpected injuries.

10 bold predictions for LA Rams 2025 offseason

There is plenty of canvas to paint on regarding bold predictions, as almost anything is within the realms of possibilities. After all, the teams has already shown its hand insomuch as the team will be parting ways from veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp. And if the team is unable to lure Matthew Stafford to return to training camp with their price, that relationship is entire severable now as well.

It's that severability of the contract that has pitted Stafford and the Rams at opposite ring posts.

But while 'Anything Goes,' is as good of a theme as any for the Rams this offseason, it's not the rule. More options make the act of nailing bold predictions more challenging. But, who doesn't love a challenge? So let's dive into the maelstrom and see what our crystal ball can scry this year:

(10) - Rams will extend four defensive players, including:

In the past two seasons, the Rams front office has been more willing and generous in extending players on the offensive side of the football. Of course, with a new defensive coordinator hired in 2024 named Chris Shula, the plan was almost certainly to add new players whose skills aligned with what Shula wanted to emphasize in his defense.

Now with a successful and better-than-expected 2024 under their belts, the team has a solid 'feel' of what does and does not work. Armed with that knowledge and experience, it makes far more sense for the team to want to build on 2024's success by trying to retain some level of continuity. From the projected exodus of players on expiring contracts, the team truly cannot afford to lose some key players in 2025. They are:

• DT/OLB Michael Hoecht - A versatile defensive chess piece that is at home in either a two-point or three-point stance. He affords the team significant versatility to flex defensive looks and assignments.
• NT Bobby Brown III - One of the unsung heroes of the defense. Like the shade of a mighty oak tree, Bobby Brown's ability to gobble blockers on the line of scrimmage shades his linebackers enough to allow them to step up and make huge stops.
• DB John Johnson III - While injured through 2024, there were signs of JJIII throughout the secondary last season. John Johnson is adept at both run and pass defense, a trait that he seems to have passed on to younger safeties on the Rams roster. His leadership is vital to 2025, even if his on-field time is limited to a rotational role.
• LB Christian Rozeboom or Troy Reeder, but not both - The Rams' defense got a B-12 shot after undrafted linebacker Omar Speights finally started for the team. But that is not to say that the team can just write off all veteran linebackers. If the team wants a serviceable, but not particularly outstanding, backup linebacker for 2025, Rozeboom is the logical choice. If the team is more interested in special teams play, then Reeder is the logical choice. But it will be one or the other, not both.