Star power fills the Los Angeles Rams roster once again this football season. Now Myles Garrett adds new intrigue as the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year will take in his first Rams training camp. He’ll soon share the field with other heralded stars in wide receivers Davante Adams, Puka Nacua, quarterback Matthew Stafford, etc.
Garrett isn’t the only high-profile addition coming to Los Angeles, as cornerback and past Super Bowl winner Trent McDuffie will help man the backend of this defense. Yet, neither Garrett nor the former Kansas City Chiefs star earned this label: The one talent capable of “changing everything” for the Rams this season.
A former seventh rounder earned that title for these reasons.
Why This Rams Defender can ‘Change Everything’
A less heralded free agent pickup received praise from Blaine Grisak of Los Angeles Rams on SI.
Grisak calls ex-final day draft pick Jaylen Watson as an underrated game changer. Including highlighting how Watson rearranges the defense.
“He’ll give the Rams a player with legitimate size, length, and physicality on the perimeter that they have lacked,” Grisak began.
But Watson’s frame isn’t the only element that sparks the Rams. Here’s how Grisak believes the presence of Watson helps.
“He’ll allow the Rams to play tighter at the line of scrimmage. And help create that extra half-second for the pass rush,” Grisak said.
Rams Lacked Consistent CB help
So Watson hands LA a long-awaited young, towering and physical perimeter help. Big emphasis on the latter part as Grisak points out.
“Due to the lack of physicality on the outside, the Rams have been forced to play more off coverage to protect against giving up explosive plays in the passing game,” Grisak said.
Plus, the Rams trusted smaller cornerbacks like Cobie Durant and Darious Williams for far too long. Both played scrappy coverage and showed ball-hawking intangibles. But Los Angeles needed upgrades at both corner spots.
So that’s why general manager Les Snead pivoted back to trading away his draft picks. He handed Kansas City new draft capital in exchange for McDuffie. Watson arrived via NFL Free Agency on March 11.
New Confidence Arrives for Rams here
Watson’s addition changes one more dynamic per Grisak.
“Watson will give Chris Shula the confidence in his cornerbacks to play more aggressively and help raise the floor of the entire secondary,” he said. “While Watson and McDuffie will primarily play on opposite sides, their experience with each other also won’t hurt.”
Sharing past chemistry helps too for this aspiring Super Bowl contender.
“Those two will understand how each other communicates, especially in situations when the Rams play McDuffie in the slot,” Grisak said.
Watson’s name doesn’t carry the same weight as McDuffie, or even Garrett. But he owns a Super Bowl ring with the former. Plus he needed to practice against three-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Patrick Mahomes and all-pro tight end Travis Kelce, which sharpened Watson. The former seventh rounder and junior college football prospect (Watson played for Ventura College) is expected to rise this fall.
Ex-7th Rounder Hailed as 2026 Talent who Could ‘Change Everything’ for Rams