Rams special teams face a huge problem with numerous solutions

The Los Angeles Rams special teams created special problems for the team in 2025. Several losses found a worthy scapegoat in the inability of the kicking, punting, and coverage units to navigate a full 17-game season without the type of headliner miscues that no fans enjoy reading.

It was such a disastrous season that head coach Sean McVay cleared everyone associated with special teams except for punter Ethan Evans. Then, after the season ended, the team cleared house once more for good measure.

The team hired a brand new coaching staff to oversee reclamation efforts for special teams. While that answers the biggest question of the group, it creates a new set of questions. More to the point, what will the team decide concerning long-snapper Jake McQuaide and placekicker Harrison Mevis?

Both arrived in less-than-stellar conditions in 2025, arriving mid-season. Both players performed quite well despite the dubious reasons for coming aboard. But with a new special teams coaching staff, do they return for 2026? And if not, the team had best get crackin' at finding suitable replacements.

The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine for rookie kickers starts today.

Rams should re-sign both Jake McQuaide and Harrison Mevis

It comes down to trust. And long snapper Jake McQuaide and kicker Harrison Mevis earned that trust under harsh circumstances in 2025. If the team chooses to go in different directions, trust will have to be re-established.

And the team has another set of questions surrounding return specialists.

It's not an assertion that McQuaide or Mevis cannot be upgraded. Perhaps they can be. But the team has already established that quarterback Matthew Stafford's remaining time in the NFL warrants focusing on winning now.

And both McQuaide and Mevis can be trusted to contribute now. Regardless of their college careers, incoming rookies cannot.

And so, the new coaches may be compelled to work with returning players. After all, many of the biggest miscues hard-halted with their arrival. The residual miscues were more about poor luck with a dash of underwhelming coaching and preparation.

Still, if general manager Les Snead continues to weigh his options, kickers arrive at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine today. And there are several intriguing rookie kickers to consider. Any rookie added to the team has the advantage of playing on a rookie contract (cheap) and growing into the role.

What will Snead do? The best answer is to pop the popcorn and settle in. The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine is about to get underway.

As always, thanks for reading.