The Rams ignored one thing they couldn’t do while building a “super-team” in 2026

There is truly no such thing as a “perfect” roster in the NFL, although the Los Angeles Rams got as close as possible in the 2026 offseason.

The Rams built the latest version of a “super-team” in 2026, went out and made moves to get Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie to upgrade a great defense, then signed legendary defensive tackle Aaron Donald out of retirement.

For the first time in history, an NFL team had the reigning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year on the same roster. If there were Lombardi trophies handed out for winning the offseason, the Rams got one, no question about it.

Unfortunately, general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay missed a critical piece of the roster that has plagued the team for years, and it has come back to bite them early this season: Special teams.

Los Angeles Rams struggle early in 2026 with special teams (again)

It would be one thing if the Rams’ struggles on special teams were a surprise, but they aren’t.

At the end of the 2025-26 season, special teams came into focus for the Rams after a lost fumble on a punt return in the NFC Championship Game. After that debacle cost them the game against the Seahawks (and a shot at the Super Bowl), it was pointed out that no team has had a worse special teams unit in the NFL since 2020.

It wasn’t that long ago that the Rams actually cut the player who blew the NFC Championship Game (Xavier Smith).

After a thrilling Monday night game against the Buffalo Bills ended in a loss, the Rams were forced to make another brutal move on their special teams unit. They cut kicker Harrison Mevis after he missed a 50-yard kick and blocked a game-winning attempt in overtime.

When you look at the Rams roster on paper, all you can focus on is the offense and defense. They are completely full of stars on both sides of the ball. However, in the NFL, you have to excel in all three phases of the game to be a true championship contender.

The Rams are terrible on special teams, and has been for quite some time.

For a team whose general manager is as aggressive as they come, it’s a bit surprising that Les Snead hasn’t been more attuned to his team’s need for help on special teams.

And it wasn’t just the kicking of Harrison Mevis that contributed to the loss in Week 5, but the coverage was broken on a 70-yard kickoff return by the Bills. Special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone was hired this offseason to fix that unit, and it hasn’t been fixed.

With the Rams now sitting at 2-3 and looking at the 3-2 Seahawks and 5-0 49ers, the panic button has been slightly pressed. There’s still a lot of season left, but it’s an issue that could come back to bite the Rams at the worst possible time, no matter how far they are from finishing it.