The Los Angeles Rams are going all-in in 2026. Matthew Stafford is coming back for one more season, and they have a lot of key players in the final year of their rookie deals.
They've already made two key additions, signing Jaylen Watson to a free agent contract, and swinging a blockbuster trade with the Kansas City Chiefs for Trent McDuffie, promptly extending him for $124 million over four years.
McDuffie's blockbuster trade mega-contract extension was a "smart" move, according to Matt Okada of NFL.com. While it's a lot of money to invest into one player, both draft capital and money, it's the exact kind of move the Rams needed to make this offseason.
Rams trade and extension for Trent McDuffie was 'smart' move
"It's a major investment, no question, but Snead and Co. typically turn these kinds of moves into major success (like, you know, a Lombardi Trophy)," Okada writes. "... He's the model of consistency and a perfect fit for the prominent hole in the Rams defense."
Adding McDuffie cost the Rams a ton. They sent pick No. 29, a fifth and sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and a 2027 third-rounder to acquire McDuffie.
Then, a few days later, they agreed to a mammoth $124 million four-year contract extension to keep him around in Los Angeles for a few more years.
All-in-all, the Rams spent a first, third, fifth, and sixth round pick to acquire McDuffie, and then handed him a $124 million extension worth $31 million per-year.
More: Rams extend Trent McDuffie on $124 million four-year contract
While it's a lot, the Rams desperately needed cornerback help, and McDuffie was, by far, the best one available this offseason.
The Rams' move to acquire and extend McDuffie was a smart one, even though they are investing so much into one player, and not a quarterback, wide receiver, pass rusher, or offensive tackle.
Some fans might scoff at the price it took to land McDuffie, but at the end of the day, the Rams are getting a lot better and setting themselves up with a top All-Pro cornerback for the foreseeable future.
More Rams news: