The Los Angeles Rams have two first-round picks, and one should be used to bolster the offensive line.
Matthew Stafford shocked the NFL world when he announced his return to play in 2026 with the Los Angeles Rams following his MVP win.
Considering the Rams remain in playoff contention with Stafford under center, he will need more support. That support should be in the offensive line, despite how well the unit played.
Armed with two first-round picks, the Rams should be aiming to use one of those picks on a potential blue-chip lineman. The team has been mocked to land Vega Ioane at No. 13 overall, which would make plenty of sense.
With Rob Havenstein announcing his retirement, there is already a strain on the offensive line. The good news is Warrern McClendon Jr. filled in spectacularly and was rated the seventh-best tackle per PFF with an overall grade of 83.5.
The bad news is the Rams could lose David Quessenberry and D.J. Humphries in free agency.
Los Angeles had a top-five offensive line, but Kevin Dotson and Steve Avila also experienced their own injuries that kept them out for a couple of games. Going back to the 2024 season, the Rams' season nearly took a nosedive due to multiple injuries on the line.
While the unit as a whole operates at a high level, it is the backups that is major concern.
General manager Les Snead indicated there would be a plan in place for Stafford if he returned, and that plan should be to bolster the offensive line. Bringing in competition is always a good idea, and McClendon's working out helped the line stay solid.
Beyond that, the Rams need more younger talent to come in and fill in when injuries occur, and to also push the current starters to be even better.
Snead worked some magic to give the Rams two first-round picks in 2026, even after the team nearly made it to the Super Bowl.
The other glaring need is in the secondary, but it would be wise for Snead to go for a young cornerback and a lineman with those picks.
There is also free agency to think about. While the Rams may not want to spend a lot on a starting lineman, which they don't technically need, the draft is where they should be aiming to strike.
Considering the current talent on the line, those veterans can also help to shape the young players that are drafted by Snead and the Rams.