Praise regarding the Los Angeles Rams’ offseason has been quiet for a reason.
Because they already have what most teams spend years trying to find.
Warren Sharp ranked the Rams’ offensive line No. 5 in his 2026 offensive line rankings, giving Los Angeles a score of 84 out of 100.
Sharp’s write-up noted that the Rams had four of their five starters play at least 1,000 snaps at their position last season, returned all five starters and added third-round pick Keagen Trost for tackle depth.
The high ranking speaks to the beating heart of the Rams’ success aside from playmakers Puka Nacua and Matthew Stafford.
Without the sturdy big men up front, Stafford, Nacua and Co. may not have thrived to the lofty performance echelons of 2025 and beyond.
Rams’ Continuity Gives Stafford the Cleanest Path
The Rams’ offensive line matters because of who is standing behind it.
Stafford threw for 4,707 yards, 46 touchdowns and eight interceptions last season. He was sacked just 23 times.
For an older quarterback who have proven his metal with timing, toughness and ball placement, Stafford does not need a perfect setup to make high-level throws. He has spent much of his career proving that.
The difference now is that the Rams can give him a cleaner mental game each week.
Alaric Jackson, Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, Kevin Dotson and Rob Havenstein give Los Angeles a familiar group in front of Stafford.
In July and August before live bullets are flying, that group will only solidify itself more during controlled, practice-examined X’s and O’s.
When November and December hit, the offensive lines becomes the difference between staying on schedule and asking a quarterback to save drives under pressure.
Stafford can beat the pressure, though, given his 18 years of experience dissecting NFL defenses. PFF wrote that his 77.3 grade under pressure led the NFL last season.
Addtionally, FTN Fantasy listed the Rams first in offensive DVOA, first in passing DVOA and first in rushing DVOA last season, and Los Angeles scored 30.5 points per game, the best mark in the league.
Therefore, Sharp’s ranking is just confirming what we already knew.
Run Game Makes Ranking Look Even Stronger
The Rams’ case up front is not only about Stafford’s protection.
FTN ranked the Rams No. 9 in its in-season 2025 offensive line rankings last October and noted Los Angeles was first in Adjusted Line Yards at 5.51. The same piece stated five of the team’s six offensive linemen with at least 100 snaps had PFF run-blocking grades of 72.0 or higher.
Those eye-popping numbers carried into live game action.
Kyren Williams rushed for 1,252 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 4.8 yards per carry, while Blake Corum added 746 yards, six touchdowns and 5.1 yards per carry.
The deadly run-pass combination is where teams can struggle to contain Los Angeles.
Stafford can still win through Nacua and Davante Adams, but McVay does not have to live in obvious passing situations. The run game can create cleaner down-and-distance looks, protect Stafford from unnecessary hits and force defenses to respect every part of the field.
Trost adds another layer to that setup.
The Rams selected him 93rd overall, and the team’s official site noted McVay sees his versatility as a major advantage. Rams.com also wrote that Trost led the nation in PFF offensive grade at 92 at Missouri and allowed two sacks and two quarterback hits in 13 starts.
Now, the Rams have strong starting five and a developmental depth piece with high upside behind it.
Rams’ Vital Position Group Ranks Top 5 in NFL