The Los Angeles Rams were a few plays away from representing the NFC in Super LX, so this offseason was considered a crucial one for the franchise. The Rams have been playoff contenders for years under head coach Sean McVay, and with Matthew Stafford announcing he’d return for the 2026 season the team owed it to themselves to be aggressive in free agency.
The Rams made the biggest trade of the offseason thus far, agreeing to send multiple draft picks to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie.
McDuffie was a logical target for Los Angeles as he’s one of the best coverage defensive backs in the NFL that can play multiple roles in the secondary.
The team understand that its secondary needed a massive infusion of talent and McDuffie is the perfect solution to their coverage issues. However, the opposite starting cornerback spot was also a question mark as Ahkello Witherspoon and Cobie Durant are both free agents.
L.A. didn’t need to look too hard to find a running mate for McDuffie as they are signing his former Kansas City teammate Jaylen Watson to a three-year deal, via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network:
The Rams are signing two-time Super Bowl champion CB Jaylen Watson to a three-year, $51 million deal with $34M guaranteed, sources tell The Insiders.
Collin Roberts of @excelfootball negotiated the deal. pic.twitter.com/4UYeBr3oq8
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 9, 2026
Watson has been one of the more underrated cornerbacks in the league as he’s played a role in the Chiefs’ two Super Bowl championships. A former seventh-round pick, Watson has done well for himself and the Rams seem content to bet on his upside as an ascending player for their defense.
The secondary now looks far more elite on paper as Watson joins a group featuring Quentin Lake, Kam Curl and McDuffie. Defensive coordinator Chris Shula has largely preferred to stay in zone coverages, but with McDuffie and Watson he should be able to execute more man schemes as well.
Overall, this is a strong signing for the Rams who should be far better next season when it comes to defending explosive pass plays. McDuffie and Watson are excellent starts to the offseason and it’ll be exciting to see what Los Angeles does next.
Rams sign Trent McDuffie to contract extension
Trent McDuffie was considered available because of the Chiefs’ salary cap situation, so the Rams did the smart thing by acquiring him before he hit free agency. Los Angeles is betting big on their new star as they also signed him to a lucrative five-year extension that makes him the highest-paid cornerback ever.
