Turf Show Times
The Rams are old in the wrong spots: Matthew Stafford, Rob Havenstein, Davante Adams, Darious Williams
The Los Angeles Rams were the second youngest team in the NFL last season. They haven’t made many changes this offseason that would move the needle in a significant way, as even signings of older players like Davante Adams and Poona Ford were offset by losses such as Cooper Kupp, Demarcus Robinson, and Neville Gallimore.
Los Angeles figures to be one of the youngest rosters across the league again in 2025, which why the question “Are the Rams too old?” might not seem fair at first glance.
But the Rams are long in the tooth at some of the most important positions in football. This is a talented roster where late-career regression could derail Super Bowl hopes.
Honorable Mention:
The players mentioned in the above list are mostly expected to play important roles on the 2025 version of the team.
Matthew Stafford is entering the phase of his career where most quarterbacks tend to drastically decline. Sure, there are exceptions to this rule—such as Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers—who produce at a high level into their 40’s. However, it’s far more common for injuries to crop up or abilities diminish. Will Matthew Stafford fit into the bucket of Brady and Rodgers, or is he another Matt Ryan, Kirk Cousins, Drew Brees, or Peyton Manning?
Cousins and Rodgers suffered major Achilles injuries at ages 36 and 39, respectively.
The Rams committed to Stafford this offseason for another two seasons and tacked on void years through 2030. Will they regret not keeping their relationship on a year-to-year basis? If Stafford notably declines this upcoming season, we could see a serious case of buyer’s remorse for LA.
We’ve seen the Rams take chances on older receivers with mixed effects; however, it could be ill-advised to replace Cooper Kupp with a similarly older player.
Adams seems to be playing at a high level and the Rams are only committed for one season. Still, from Odell Beckham, Jr. to Allen Robinson, we’ve seen this movie before in Los Angeles. I’d even add Colby Parkinson to the list of pass catchers the Rams signed in free agency only for the plan to not work as intended.
Adams could be the player the offense was missing as a compliment to Nacua. He also could draw targets away from the Rams’ best offensive player, Nacua, and not be as impactful as it might look on paper. It’s fair...
