Rams fans can only laugh at desperate attempt to rain on offseason parade

The Los Angeles Rams' 2026 offseason included adding cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson to fix a suspect secondary and trading for Myles Garrett to make a monster of the pass rush. Impressive, no? Not for ESPN analyst Seth Walder, who gave the Rams a C+ grade.

C+. In lay terms, that's 'meh.' In Shania Twain terms? "That Don't Impress Me Much."

Offseason grades are, of course, only speculative assessments that package subjective views in objective wrappings. Walder employs plenty of arbitrary guesswork in handing the Philadelphia Eagles his lone A.

Let's be honest, though. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman walked a safe route. The roster is no stronger than it was last year. If nothing else, the Horns deserve credit for going big or going home.

Rams fans should get a good chuckle out of Walder's critique

Walder's approach is seemingly based on what he thought a team should do versus what the team did. That line of reasoning led Walder to laud the Chargers for hiring Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator while pooh-poohing the Cardinals for drafting running back Jeremiyah Love. Both moves are positive additions for their respective franchises. Well, once again, not for Walder.

He wasn't a big fan of Arizona's offseason in general, handing out an overall D grade. Walder lambasted the Cardinals for releasing quarterback Kyler Murray, but parting ways with Murray was a prerequisite for instituting a fresh regime under new head coach Mike LaFleur, the former Rams OC. Perhaps it was a bit rich to take Love with the third overall pick, but he is a perfect fit for LaFleur's offensive design.

Walder follows up on his questionable Cardinals review with his stunningly bad Rams take. Extending a host of veterans, upgrading a desperate secondary, and landing the best defensive player in the NFL got only a yawn from Walder. Only five teams received a lower grade.

Walder also disapproved of the Rams drafting quarterback Ty Simpson. That's a valid stance by itself, but he falls back on lazy criticisms to justify his bias. Walder is no stranger to bashing the Rams. He was harshly critical of the Garrett blockbuster. It's no surprise that he continues to lament L.A.'s aggressive offseason.

Walder's takes are all over the place. He afforded a standing ovation to the Eagles for signing former Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen, yet counted him as only a superficial loss for Seattle.

Wait, though, there's more. Even as analysts and 49ers fans alike chide general manager John Lynch for another suspect draft, Walder proclaims San Francisco as having the best offseason in the division (a B+, ahead of Seattle's B-). For starters, he loves, loves, loves the signing of veteran wide receiver Mike Evans. He offers little insight, however, on the 49ers' free-agency losses.

Hey, it's all in the spirit of fun and entertainment. And Walder does raise some valid points. The Rams sacrificed valuable assets for Garrett and Trent McDuffie. They could encounter some kinks, too, in assimilating familiar faces and new arrivals. L.A. faithful aren't asking to have the crown handed to them. Nothing is certain.

On the whole, though, Walder is an outlier in his hating on the Horns. That alone - to say nothing of his other dubious assessments in the NFC West - gives fans reason to view his grades skeptically until proven otherwise.

As always, thanks for reading.

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