Les Snead has never had a stronger roster or greater challenge entering a draft

When it comes to the Los Angeles Rams, you can thank your lucky stars that the team has managed to combine the endless energy of head coach Sean McVay with the shrewd strategy of general manager Les Snead. Not only has the pair combined to bring Los Angeles its first Rams Lombardi Trophy, but they remain competitive each year.

Reappearing in the NFC Championship Game this season is the new bar. The team was oh-so-close to overcoming the Seattle Seahawks. But that only means fans want more this year. Can the team deliver? On paper, perhaps.

Early actions were spot on. The team extended a core of defensive and offensive contributors. And Snead worked his wizardry at instantly upgrading a suspect secondary. But do all fans feel better about this team now? With the concerns about an aging offense, shallow depth at key positions, and questions about trouble hot spots remaining from 2025, not all fans are breathing sighs of relief.

Les Snead has many challenges to address. And not all can be addressed with a suddenly shrinking number of draft picks. How so? Well, this is a uniquely challenging season.

Rams have too many worst case scenarios to fix in this draft

The once formidable LA Rams roster is starting to show wear and tear in areas that seemed forged by trial and tribulation. Even as young players gain experience, their minds and bodies begin to suffer the toll of competing in a very physical sport. And contracts age and expire.

While this is not a chicken little cry about the sky falling, it is a wake-up call to alert fans that not everything is golden and rosy. Such as:

1. Quarterback succession

At some point, Les Snead has to roll the dice on a true successor for veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford. While there are signs that Stafford may be willing to play for several more years, and the chance to reunite with backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo remains a viable option, neither scenario is a true fix. It's just one more year of kicking the can down the road.

LA holds the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. If the team does not select a rookie quarterback now, when will it do so?

2. A true wide receiver play-maker

The front office entertained parting ways with veteran wide receiver Davante Adams. The same front office has placed extending wide receiver Puka Nacua on the back burner. The team has plenty of niche receivers, but the lack of developing young talent could pose a huge problem for the offense in 2026.

This offense works the horses that work. But the team shed Cooper Kupp, Demarcus Robinson, and Tyler Johnson in 2025, and parted ways with Tutu Atwell in 2026. In their place, the team added veteran Adams and drafted rookie Konata Mumpfield. If only from a numbers perspective, this offense has depleted its wide receiver playmakers.

3. Multiple OL players for future starters

The roster is on track to face four of five starting offensive linemen with expiring contracts at the end of 2026. That compounds the challenge of extending so many young stars from the 2023 NFL Draft. If the team cannot extend everyone, Snead needs to invest in future starters now.

4. An additional talented cornerback

LA acted swiftly and decisively in reworking its secondary. Still, four cornerbacks found new teams while only two new corners arrived. That's another example of depletion, and one this team cannot afford to ignore. Snead may view cornerback as a Day 1 need for this team, and he would be right to do so.

The thing is, with only one Top 15 pick, which position needs an immediate infusion of talent?

5. Special team sizzler

The offense roared in 2025. The defense started strong, but faded fast. Unfortunately, special teams never seemed to climb to anything better than tolerable. Should Snead aim for a sizzling special teamer? Fans know how quickly the Seattle Seahawks rallied around return specialist Rashid Shaheed.

Imagine the boost if Les Snead could add a similar special teamer to LA's roster?

6. Talented pass rusher

The defense gets pressure on the quarterback from many players. And while the overall defense improved at the vital task, five of the team's 47 sacks came from defensive backs. Rookie outside linebacker Josaiah Stewart kicked in just three quarterback sacks. DE/OLB Desjuan Johnson kicked in two quarterback sacks. And Keir Thompson was out all season.

The team faces the last season of Kobie Turner and Byron Young in 2026. In 2027, the team faces the last year of Braden Fiske and Jared Verse. There are simply too many players to extend at fair market value. So investing in future starters is an uncomfortable truth.

7. Inside linebacker who can cover

The team shed rookie inside linebacker Chris "Pooh" Paul last season, opting to keep veteran Troy Reeder and undrafted Shaun Dolac instead. Now, Snead may need to address the lack of a coverage-capable inside linebacker. The team could choose to remain invested in nickel or dime packages that slide a physical defensive back into a linebacker spot.

But offenses are clever, and target the middle whenever Omar Speights is on the field. To avoid awkward matchups, the defense would be wise to add a physical linebacker who can play pass coverage as well.

Are the LA Rams close to an NFC Championship victory? Of course. But this team is precariously close to disaster as the roster stands right now. Yes, the offseason is still in midstream, and the roster is a far cry from its 90-player training camp limit.

But the draft is more than a luxury tour of talent. It's taking on the shape of another huge test for GM Les Snead, perhaps the greatest test of his career.

As always, thanks for reading.