Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Emmanuel Forbes Jr all beside each other Pile of bricks in the background
Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Emmanuel Forbes Jr all beside each other Pile of bricks in the background
The Los Angeles Rams have a roster that looks frightening on paper. Of course, even championship contenders can make one decision that leaves a glaring structural weakness. The offensive and defensive sides are pretty loaded. Yet the very depth that makes Los Angeles so dangerous has produced an imbalance that could become increasingly difficult to overcome once the regular season begins. The Rams' decision to carry only four cornerbacks on their initial 53-man roster is a wildly unnecessary gamble that looks potentially disastrous after the first injury.
Embarrassment of riches
Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald (99) wears a Guardian helmet cap at practice at the Rams Practice Facility.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
On the offensive side of the ball, Los Angeles chose to keep three quarterbacks in Matthew Stafford, Stetson Bennett IV, and Ty Simpson. They also carry three running backs headlined by Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. The front office retained five tight ends — Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen, Terrance Ferguson, and Max Klare. They also kept seven wide receivers after pulling off a trade to re-acquire speedster Tutu Atwell alongside Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield, Xavier Smith, and CJ Daniels. The offensive line stands nine deep. It's anchored by Alaric Jackson, Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton and Kevin Dotson.
Defensively, the front seven looks terrifying with six defensive linemen featuring Aaron Donald, Poona Ford, Kobie Turner, and Braden Fiske. They are paired with five edge rushers in Myles Garrett, Byron Young, Josaiah Stewart, Desjuan Johnson, and Wesley Bailey. The Rams also have four inside linebackers. Yet the Rams entered the regular season with only four cornerbacks. And that is where the roster construction becomes difficult to defend.
Perilous decision
Carrying only four boundary cornerbacks on the active roster is a mistake. There is certainly logic behind trusting Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson. The duo gives defensive coordinator Chris Shula two legitimate starting-caliber players. Emmanuel Forbes Jr and Josh Wallace provide the remaining depth. That said, four is an extraordinarily thin number at this position.
The Rams themselves acknowledged how dramatically the position has changed. Only two of the five cornerbacks from last year's initial 53-man roster returned in 2026. That has made this one of the most extensively overhauled units on the team.
Los Angeles waived promising coverage options including Cam Lampkin and Steven Gilmore, along with Nyzier Fourqurean. The hope, presumably, is that some of those players can be recovered through the practice squad.
Hoarding pass catchers
What makes this defensive gamble particularly difficult to justify is how Los Angeles distributed its available roster spots elsewhere. The Rams are carrying seven wide receivers and five tight ends. That's 12 players at two positions that essentially compete for overlapping offensive real estate. That is an extraordinary commitment to pass-catching depth.
The five-tight-end strategy is not without merit. Los Angeles led the NFL in 13-personnel usage in 2025. McVay clearly wants the flexibility to stress defenses with multiple tight ends. Klare's addition only deepens that philosophy.
Of course, there is a difference between offensive versatility and redundancy. If the fifth tight end becomes an occasional contributor while a starting cornerback is unavailable, the opportunity cost becomes painfully obvious. The same applies to the seventh receiver. Sure, championship teams need weapons. They also need enough defenders to survive the season, though.
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Exposing weakness
Three-receiver formations are no longer exotic. They are foundational. Opposing quarterbacks routinely attack nickel and dime personnel. That will force cornerbacks into repeated one-on-one coverage. Now imagine that equation after one of McDuffie's or Watson's hamstrings tightens.
Suddenly Forbes could be playing more snaps than planned. Wallace could be thrown into an expanded role. McDuffie could be forced into different responsibilities. The Rams could also be compelled to move a safety into a cornerback role. That is a cascading problem.
The Rams' defensive front may be historically talented. Donald's return alongside Garrett gives Shula the luxury of generating pressure without consistently blitzing. Turner and Fiske provide additional interior disruption. But even the greatest pass rush cannot completely erase secondary injuries. Eventually, someone has to cover.
Hope the gamble pays off
Los Angeles Rams cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) during a joint practice against the Dallas Cowboys at the Rams Practice Facility.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
There is an argument that Los Angeles can simply use its defensive line to protect the secondary. Generate pressure quickly, force hurried throws, and make life miserable for opposing quarterbacks. That may work. In fact, with Donald and Garrett, it could work spectacularly.
Of course, roster construction should not depend on perfection. The Rams have one of the deepest offensive rosters while creating one of the league's thinnest cornerback groups. That imbalance is just especially difficult to understand.
McVay and Les Snead clearly believe their offensive versatility is worth the sacrifice. Now they have to be right.