Sports

Rams are staring down an abyss of near-future uncertainty

Ramblin' Fan · Jul 21, 2026 13:00 · 4 min read

Rams are staring down an abyss of near-future uncertainty — Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Los Angeles Rams will have a whole lot of questions next offseason to answer with over two dozen pending free agents on the roster.

It's easy to see the Los Angeles Rams' present roster and call it good. For the immediate needs of the team, that is a safe and worry-free perspective. But going all-in this season will create financial chaos at season's end. And while it's natural to overlook the looming cash crunch, the events of training camp will dictate what the team does later.

10 players should be the top priority for extensions, but that is just a drop in the bucket. Even after extending every single one of the priority candidates, the Rams would still have 16 veteran free agents next offseason, many of them starters or significant contributors. How bad is it? Check out the names who may be playing their last season in Horns:

Wide receiver Davante Adams

Like it or not, LA's willingness to consider parting ways with Adams in the offseason betrays their long-term plans. This partnership faces a double-edged sword. If Adams plays well, the Rams won't be able to afford him. If he struggles, they'll have no reason to extend him.

Tight end Colby Parkinson

The Rams' eagerness draft tight ends every year has crammed the rotation to its limit. Los Angeles cannot hope to make use of all five of Parkinson, Tyler Higbee, Davis Allen, Terrance Ferguson, and rookie Max Klare in 2026. Even if the team unloads Allen, for example, Parkinson will not be happy to take a back seat to either Ferguson or Klare.

Center Coleman Shelton

Shelton is incredibly underrated. How can the team afford to part ways with him? They may not have a choice. The 31-year-old veteran center is entering his ninth NFL season. On an offensive line riddled with expiring contracts, retaining Shelton is the lowest priority. The Rams also have both Beaux Limmer and Dylan McMahon waiting patiently for their chance to start.

More pending Rams free agents who may not return without a deep discount

Those are just three players. Here are the others, excluding the Top 10 extension candidates, in line to hit to the 2027 free agency market:

TE Davis Allen | 2026 Rams training camp will host open competition everywhere. Allen is fighting for the right to remain with the team. He may lose his spot to talented rookie Max Klare.
RB Ronnie Rivers | Despite being on the bubble, running back Ronnie Rivers continues to find his way back to the team. This could be the end of the line. Although he is a talented depth player, LA may cut him to get to the 53-man limit.
CB Emmanuel Forbes | A secondary stockpiling new faces needs Forbes in the short term. Unless he proves he can be counted on, however, he won't be extended at season's end.
OT David Quessenberry | Quessenberry returns for another season as an experienced backup offensive tackle. But age is a factor, and younger players will be needed for 2027.
DL Larrell Murchison | Murchison is a solid role player. He can stuff the run and sack the quarterback. If he is content to remain a backup and sign for a low cost, he could be back.
OLB Tomon Fox | The recently signed veteran will attempt to make his mark throughout training camp. But he has a lot to learn getting used to a new system over the course of the summer.
IOL Justin Dedich | He may be a backup offensive lineman, but Dedich has stepped into a starting role in the past. If the price is right, he could be back. Unfortunately, other teams may make him a better offer.
WR Xavier Smith | Smith is one of the fastest offensive skill players on the roster. But he needs to prove that LA truly has a need for speed.
OLB Keir Thomas | Thomas has stuck around with the Horns for a while, but he's reached a point of put up or shut up.
DL/OLB Desjuan Johnson | Even as LA has invested heavily in its pass rush, Johnson is the type of player whose versatility could translate into value.
CB Josh Wallace | The Rams have invested significant capital into upgrading the cornerback room, and the team may see Wallace as a less-costly depth player.
S Jaylen McCollough | It's difficult to imagine the team extending undrafted safety Jaylen McCollough after inking both Quentin Lake and Kam Curl to new deals, but he has a knack for generating surprises.
ILB Omar Speights | Speights is one of LA's undrafted successes. The trick is that the team has a backlog of promising young linebackers waiting for a chance to play. Unless Speights is willing to take a pay cut and a diminished role, he may not be back.

That's a lot of talent to lose at once. Even if the team manages to extend their top 10 players, nearly twice that many starters and depth pieces will be lost due to a lack of funds. Training camp will be more than a competition for playing time. This team is filled with players fighting for the chance to stick around.

As always, thanks for reading.