Fans fear how Mike LaFleur's exit will impact Rams offensive transformation

It was obvious to NFL executives that the Los Angeles Rams had found a fountain of youth for veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford. And much of that discovery came about thanks to the patient prodding of offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.

Well, LaFleur is taking the head coach vacancy of the Arizona Cardinals. So, where does that leave this offense in 2026?

Well, first things first. Los Angeles found unexpected success by deploying two and three tight ends in the offense. It was unexpected, and as such, defenses struggled to find an effective personnel grouping to match up against big-bodied tight ends who were able to catch passes.

The same tight end group that only scored three touchdowns in 2024 reached the end zone a jaw-dropping 17 times in 2025.

But the running back room upgraded in 2025, too. LA rushed for 1,765 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024. But by using a running back rotation in 2025, it managed to rush 2,152 yards and 17 touchdowns. Part of the reason for the offensive shirt was simply out of necessity.

But Mike LaFleur was a savant at using running backs and tight ends in the offense. With his departure, will the team throw out the offensive success from 2025 for something new?

If it ain't broke, don't fix it

The LA Rams offense did a remarkable about-face this season. In 2024, the offense averaged just 21.6 points per game, and some of those points were added by an opportunistic defense. This season, the offense scored 30.5 points per game, nearly a nine-point improvement per game.

That's outstanding.

The Rams roster is built for flexibility. General manager Les Snead stockpiled talent at both the tight end and running back positions. After a significant investment into those roles, the offense would be foolish to abandon their contributions. And the team is likely to promote offensive assistant Nate Scheelhaase to the offensive coordinator postion.

Head coach Sean McVay understands the NFL. He almost certainly recognizes the potential upside of his talented players at both positions. And they proved to be effective for him in 2025. So with the exception of some tweaks and adjustments, expect more of the same in 2026.

Will Mike LaFleur run the same offense in Arizona? Doubtful. The two teams have entirely different rosters, which will force LaFleur to work with what he has. And the Cardinals do not have Matthew Stafford at quarterback either.

Yes, LaFleur will lean into the tight end and running back positions in the Cardinals' playbook next season. But don't look for LA to jump the track of its offensive success. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. And this offense is the best in the league.

As always, thanks for reading.