More Rams-Matthew Stafford Contract Talks On Tap; Raise Likely For MVP
The past two offseasons have brought Matthew Stafford contract talks. The 2023 offseason included the Rams dangling the likely Hall of Famer in trades (after an injury-marred 2022). But the star quarterback has now moved into strong position to score a true raise on a contract he signed back in 2022.
Los Angeles rewarded its longtime starter with a guarantee influx just before the 2025 league year. This ended the strange trade subplot involving the Giants and Raiders. Stafford received a $40MM 2025 guarantee, and the Rams included a $24MM 2026 option bonus (which is split into four $6MM payments, per Spotrac). Stafford’s contract still expires after the 2027 season, but it would appear extension talks are coming.
[RELATED: Stafford Commits To Playing In 2026]
It should not be expected Stafford will play for the $40MM number in 2026, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes, indicating more contract talks will be on tap. A raise will be likely here. The Rams can lower Stafford’s $48.27MM 2026 cap number with an extension, but they will absorb some void years-driven punishment down the road. For now, though, the team will have the 2025 MVP back for a sixth season.
Stafford pushed for 2025 guarantees during renegotiation talks in 2024, but no too much came the QB’s way at that time. The team moved $5MM from future years into 2024 and inserted a $4MM guaranteed roster bonus for 2025. Stafford needed to come back to the table last year to lock in the $40MM 2025 guarantee, which was agreed to after the Rams let him speak with other teams.
The Giants and Raiders had near-$100MM guarantee packages lined up, but such a move would have meant relocating to a rebuilding team. Stafford opted to stay with Sean McVay, and the decision paid off. The Rams gave their QB Davante Adams to target alongside Puka Nacua and watched passer throw a career-high 46 touchdown passes (to go with an NFL-leading 4,707 passing yards at 7.7 per attempt) en route to MVP honors.
Adams is slated to come back, and a Nacua extension is a high priority. Though, the Stafford matter will probably come first. Stafford accepted a team-friendly extension (four years, $160MM) in March 2022 but seemed to regret that, as the 2024 and ’25 negotiations illustrated. The cannon-armed passer roared back after an injury-plagued 2022. The 2024 and ’25 Pro Bowl nods were Stafford’s only original-ballot invites of his career, and the MVP award coming after a Super Bowl title probably pushed his Hall of Fame candidacy past the goal line.
Stafford’s $40MM AAV now ranks 16th among quarterbacks. Considering his importance to the Rams and the team having continued to delay acquiring an heir apparent, Stafford’s camp will bring plenty of leverage into the next round of talks. After Stafford left some money on the table in 2022, will he operate more aggressively ahead of his age-38 season?
The Rams have a few starters now eligible for extensions, with Kobie Turner, Byron Young and Warren McClendon joining Nacua from a talented 2023 draft class. With Rob Havenstein retiring, McClendon is poised to step into the starting right tackle role on a full-time basis.
It will be interesting to see how the Rams proceed here. They were not prepared to meet Stafford’s $50MM-per-year ask during the sides’ 2025 negotiations. It would stand to reason Stafford will come back with an AAV number beyond $50MM, considering his accomplishments compared to some of the players in that salary bracket. Trevor Lawrence, Tua Tagovailoa, Jordan Love, Brock Purdy and Stafford Rams predecessor Jared Goff secured deals averaging more than $53MM per year. That said, older QBs have settled for non-top-market prices in the not-so-distant past. Drew Brees finished his career on a two-year, $50MM contract, ditto Tom Brady.
While it would be doubtful any more trade talks occur, the arduous nature of the 2024 and ’25 redo discussions do not exactly make it sound like the 2026 negotiations will be a smooth process. The Rams have seen a QB work as their primary starter in seven straight seasons just twice since the merger — Jim Everett (1986-93) and Marc Bulger (2003-09). Will Stafford end up being signed beyond his sixth L.A. season? It will be interesting to see what numbers come up as the Rams negotiate with their QB for a fourth time in five offseasons.
NFC West Notes: 49ers, Rams, Cross
The 49ers acquired what turned out to be a quality trade chip when they gave Mac Jones a two-year, $7MM contract. That turned out to bring strong value, after the team saw Brock Purdy miss eight games. San Francisco managed a 5-3 record with Jones at the helm, and with Purdy in the $50MM-AAV club, the 49ers are expected to receive trade calls on their backup. While San Francisco wants to retain Jones, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows predicts the team will receive an offer strong enough to move on.
With Jones tied to a $1.4MM base salary and teams undoubtedly interested in turning to him as a starter, the 49ers could certainly ask for a Day 2 pick and a Day 3 choice. A second-round pick may not be out of the question for a player who could be in demand. Jones, 27, completed a career-high 69.6% of his passes in Kyle Shanahan‘s offense last season. He surpassed 2,000 passing yards in limited duty and finished with a 13-6 TD-INT ratio. The 49ers seeing Purdy miss extensive time years after Jimmy Garoppolo‘s injury-plagued tenure will naturally influence them to stay the course with Jones, but a big offer could certainly change the team’s thinking.
Here is the latest from the NFC West:
- While Fred Warner was practicing again when the 49ers’ season ended, defensive ends Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams were out of the picture. Bosa suffered an ACL tear in Week 3, while Williams went down with an ACL tear in Week 9. John Lynch said (via Barrows) training camp returns will be expected for both players. Bosa made it back from his September 2020 ACL tear by Week 1 of the 2021 season. While Williams landing on the reserve/PUP list would not surprise, an early expectation points to the 2025 first-rounder being ready to start the 2026 campaign.
- The Rams are adding a coach to their defensive backs contingent. Michael Hunter will be added to Sean McVay‘s staff, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz tweets. Hunter is coming over from Tennessee. He did not spend much time with the SEC program, being hired after the 2025 season. Hunter previously coached cornerbacks at Ohio State for two seasons. Hunter, 32, played six NFL games with the Giants from 2016-17. The Rams have seen pass-game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant receive extensive DC interest, but he has not landed a job yet.
- Staying with Rams DB matters, safety Quentin Lake‘s recent extension covers three years and is worth $38.25MM. Of the previously reported $25.7MM guaranteed figure, just $8.5MM of that total will be guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap. If on the roster by Day 3 of the 2026 league year, Lake will see an additional $3.25MM guarantee for 2026 and see his full $12.75MM 2027 compensation shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee. If on the Rams’ roster by Day 5 of the 2028 league year, Lake will be due a $2.55MM roster bonus.
- Charles Cross‘ four-year, $104.4MM Seahawks extension includes $43.1MM fully guaranteed, per OverTheCap. The Super Bowl champions have structured this deal similarly to Sam Darnold‘s. Cross will see his $13.63MM 2027 salary become fully guaranteed five days after Super Bowl LXI. Cross will carry a $10.88MM cap hit in 2026; the number spikes to $23MM in 2027.
Rams RT Rob Havenstein To Retire
After 11 years as a starting right tackle with the Rams, Rob Havenstein is calling it a career. Havenstein announced his retirement on Instagram on Tuesday (via Sarah Barshop of ESPN).
“Thank you to all my teammates, coaches, and fans who have supported me and helped me over these past 11 years,” Havenstein wrote. “I have had the time of my life with the Los Angeles Rams (formerly known as the St. Louis Rams) and can’t thank the whole organization enough for giving me a shot back in 2015. Although some in the organization weren’t totally convinced.”
Now 33 years old, Havenstein was the last St. Louis Ram remaining on his team’s roster. As a second-round selection in 2015, Havenstein spent his rookie year in St. Louis. The Rams relocated to Los Angeles the next season.
As Havenstein noted, “some” weren’t convinced the Rams were wise in using a high pick on him. He proved his doubters wrong, though, as the Rams nabbed a Day 1 starter and someone who topped the depth chart for his entire career.
The former Wisconsin Badger started in all 148 of his appearances with the Rams, though injuries were a consistent issue. He missed at least one game in 10 of his seasons and sat out three or more on five occasions.
A stalwart when healthy, Havenstein earned two extensions during his career. He inked a four-year, $32.5MM contract in 2018 and then landed a three-year, $34.5MM pact in 2022. His second deal came together several months after he won the lone Super Bowl title of his career.
Had Havenstein continued in 2026, he’d have been on track to reach free agency for the first time in March. The 6-foot-8, 322-pounder would have had to seek a new contract on the heels of an injury-ruined 2025.
In his final season, Havenstein played in just seven games – none past Week 11 – as a result of ankle and knee issues. He went on injured reserve in mid-November, and though the Rams opened his practice window ahead of the NFC title game, he wasn’t healthy enough to play in their season-ending loss to the Seahawks.
Havenstein will walk away tied for eighth on the Rams’ all-time games played list for offensive linemen. He’s third among their tackles in starts, trailing Pro Football Hall of Famers Jackie Slater and Orlando Pace.
With Havenstein moving on, the Rams are expected to hand the keys at right tackle to Warren McClendon. After McClendon impressed filling in for Havenstein in 2025, the Rams could pursue an extension with the three-year veteran this offseason.
Browns To Conduct DC Interview With Aubrey Pleasant; Team Requests Jonathan Cooley, Charlie Bullen Meetings
With the Browns‘ head coaching position going to Todd Monken, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will not be with the team any longer. His resignation has created a DC opening in Cleveland for the first time in three years. 
The list of candidates to replace Schwartz has grown. Rams defensive pass-game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant will speak with the Browns this afternoon, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Meanwhile, Charlie Bullen, currently the outside linebackers coach of the Giants, has received a Browns interview request, per Rapoport’s colleague Mike Garafolo.
Both Pleasant and Bullen are also candidates for the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator opening. That is not the case for Panthers defensive pass-game coordinator Jonathan Cooley, but he too is on Cleveland’s radar. Cooley has received a DC interview request as well, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Pleasant’s first NFL coaching gig came in 2013. That season, he worked as an intern with the Browns. Since then, the former UDFA has held a number of roles on various NFL teams. Much of Pleasant’s coaching career has come with the Rams, though. He has worked with the team during two different stints; back in Los Angeles since 2023, he received the added title of assistant head coach one year later.
Bullen is also a veteran staffer, with experience at the college and pro levels. The 41-year-old joined the Giants’ staff in 2024, and he took over from Shane Bowen midway through this past campaign after Bowen’s dismissal. New York brought in Dennard Wilson as defensive coordinator, ensuring Bullen would not receive the gig on a full-time basis. His first full season leading a defense would come about in 2026 in the event of a Browns (or Cardinals) hire.
Cooley had not been connected to any D-coordinator openings prior to today. A former Rams staffer, he worked under Ejiro Evero in Los Angeles. The two were reunited in Carolina in 2023. Cooley worked as the Panthers’ secondary coach during his first season with the team. For the past two years, he has held his current title.
Via PFR’s Coordinator Search Tracker, here is an updated look at where things stand with the Browns:
- Ephraim Banda, safeties coach (Browns): Interviewed
- Charlie Bullen, defensive pass-game coordinator (Giants): Interview requested
- Jonathan Cooley, defensive pass-game coordinator (Panthers): Interview requested
- Aubrey Pleasant, defensive pass-game coordinator (Rams): To interview 2/9
- Jason Tarver, linebackers coach (Browns): Interviewed
- Cory Undlin, defensive pass-game coordinator (Texans): Mentioned as candidate
- Dino Vasso, defensive backs coach (Texans): Mentioned as candidate; withdrew from search
Final 2026 NFL Draft Order
With Super Bowl LX in the books, the full 2026 NFL draft order has been set. Free agency is not far away, but attention will increasingly turn to April’s event as the offseason progresses.
The top of the first-round order is not subject to much in the way of speculation. The Raiders own the No. 1 selection and are widely seen as the landing spot for Fernando Mendoza, the lone quarterback regarded as a first-round lock at this point. How other QB-needy teams positioned throughout the order operate over the coming weeks – knowing there is a lack of high-end prospects this year – will make for an interesting storyline around the league.
This year’s NFL Combine will begin on February 23. Events such as the Senior Bowl have already taken place, leaving the Combine as the next major checkpoint in the evaluation of top prospects. Teams will begin arranging ‘Top 30’ visits with several players of interest relatively soon during the build-up to the draft. This year’s event will take place in Pittsburgh from April 23-25.
Pending the inevitable trades which will shake up the order, here is a final look at how things stand leading up to Day 1:
- Las Vegas Raiders (3-14)
- New York Jets (3-14)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-14)
- Tennessee Titans (3-14)
- New York Giants (4-13)
- Cleveland Browns (5-12)
- Washington Commanders (5-12)
- New Orleans Saints (6-11)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-11)
- Cincinnati Bengals (6-11)
- Miami Dolphins (7-10)
- Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-9)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Detroit Lions (9-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (9-8)
- Carolina Panthers (8-9)
- Dallas Cowboys (from Packers)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
- Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)
- Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars)
- Chicago Bears (11-6)
- Buffalo Bills (12-5)
- San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
- Houston Texans (12-5)
- Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
- Denver Broncos (14-3)
- New England Patriots (14-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (14-3)
Rams To Hire Kliff Kingsbury
As the coordinator carousel spins, Kliff Kingsbury was connected to a few of the jobs that opened up this offseason. But it looks like the recent Commanders OC will land in a popular spot.
The Rams are planning to add Kingsbury to their offensive staff, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Peter Schrager report. It does not appear this is for the OC job Mike LaFleur vacated, though the ESPN duo does not specify what position Kingsbury will take on Sean McVay‘s staff.
This staff has been a launching pad for upward mobility, and Kingsbury has seen a recent Los Angeles stopover reignite his career as well. Kingsbury moved back onto the coordinator radar after coaching quarterbacks at USC in 2023.
McVay’s staff just sent three-year OC Mike LaFleur to the head coaching ranks. Prior to that, McVay OCs Matt LaFleur and Kevin O’Connell landed HC jobs, as did quarterbacks coach Zac Taylor. Previous McVay OC Liam Coen is now a head coach, and McVay-era Rams DCs Brandon Staley and Raheem Morris enjoyed HC chances as well.
McVay’s recent comments on his OC situation point to an internal promotion. The 10th-year HC said (via Stu Jackson of the team website) the Rams have “great candidates in-house.” Pass-game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase is the top candidate to become the next Rams OC, having pledged to stay in Los Angeles after losing out on the Browns’ HC job. Scheelhaase received more HC interviews than Mike LaFleur did, and it should be expected he will become McVay’s fifth OC.
As for Kingsbury, Schrager notes he and McVay have been in talks for more than two weeks. Kingsbury, 46, was in the mix for the Giants’ OC job; once that went to Matt Nagy, a clearer path back to L.A. formed. Kingsbury’s stay with the Trojans lasted just one season, when he coached Caleb Williams. It reignited his career, leading to a host of OC interest in 2024. Based on the interest of the past three offseasons, his four-year run as Cardinals HC and McVay’s history of losing staffers to promotions elsewhere, Kingsbury should be expected to receive extensive HC interest again in 2027.
Kingsbury opted to stay in Washington after his first season as Commanders OC produced a stunning NFC championship game berth. But an injury-plagued Jayden Daniels second season brought disagreements between Kingsbury and his bosses. Adam Peters was said to have issues with Kingsbury, while Dan Quinn looked to have lost some faith in his play-caller as well. This led to a dismissal. Kingsbury then interviewed for the Ravens and Titans’ head coaching jobs. He later circled back to both teams as an OC candidate, interviewing for the Giants’ OC position as well.
The former Texas Tech HC’s only two NFL jobs have been on the HC and OC levels, which will make this an interesting fit. But McVay and Kingsbury have been friends for a while, making it unsurprising the two will link up for at least one season. Kingsbury’s six combined seasons of HC/OC experience at the NFL level stands to help the Rams, who have an advantage when it comes to recruiting assistants due to McVay’s stellar track record of sending them up the league ladder.
It will be interesting to learn Kingsbury’s role. It is possible he takes Scheelhaase’s pass-game coordinator position if/once the latter is promoted to OC. Neither will call plays, as McVay operates in that role. But Scheelhaase is 11 years younger than Kingsbury, making for an interesting dynamic.
This hire also could set up a 2027 scenario where McVay loses two offensive assistants to HC jobs. That has not happened yet, and it is rare when a team hires a non-coordinator for a head coaching job. Taylor’s move from QBs coach to Bengals HC is one of the exceptions, however.
2026 NFL Offseason Outlook Series
Pro Football Rumors is breaking down how all 32 teams’ offseason blueprints are shaping up. Going forward, the Offseason Outlook series is exclusive to Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers, and that link provides details on how to sign up for an annual membership.
This post will be updated as more Outlooks are published.
AFC East
- Buffalo Bills
- Miami Dolphins
- New England Patriots
- New York Jets
AFC North
- Baltimore Ravens
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Cleveland Browns
- Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC South
- Houston Texans
- Indianapolis Colts
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Tennessee Titans
AFC West
- Denver Broncos
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Los Angeles Chargers
NFC East
- Dallas Cowboys
- New York Giants
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Washington Commanders
NFC North
- Chicago Bears
- Detroit Lions
- Green Bay Packers
- Minnesota Vikings
NFC South
- Atlanta Falcons
- Carolina Panthers
- New Orleans Saints
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC West
- Arizona Cardinals
- Los Angeles Rams
- San Francisco 49ers
- Seattle Seahawks
Matthew Stafford To Return In 2026
Matthew Stafford claimed MVP honors tonight, becoming the first quarterback on a team that did not win its division to snare the award since Peyton Manning in 2008. Stafford also used his podium time to confirm he will return for an 18th season.
The Rams quarterback is under contract for one more season. Recent renegotiations have taken place, and it could be expected at least one more round of talks will commence between Stafford and the Rams soon. Barring more trade talks, Stafford is assured to head back to Los Angeles for a sixth season.
[RELATED: Rams Extend Sean McVay, Les Snead]
Edging Drake Maye by one first-place vote in the MVP balloting, Stafford finished his 17th season with an NFL-leading 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdown throws. He enjoyed the benefit of targeting Puka Nacua and Davante Adams in a Sean McVay-piloted offense. While Adams was not yet committed to the Rams during Stafford’s trade-rumor stretch, it was always odd the star QB was that open to leaving the Rams given the infrastructure he has in L.A.
The Giants and Raiders engaged in aggressive trade pursuits, with the Steelers among the other teams in the derby. The Giants and Raiders had contracts worked out with the disgruntled passer, but cooler heads prevailed and Stafford remained a Ram on a reworked deal.
Stafford agreed to a two-year, $80MM pact that included a $40MM guarantee for 2025. Under the terms of his original four-year, $160MM agreement, no guaranteed money was in place that far into the deal. But Stafford, who missed much of the 2022 season due to injury, has sustained high-quality play into his late 30s. That has prompted the Rams to rework his deal twice since authorizing it in spring 2022.
The Rams have stacked six void years onto this contract, which expires in March 2027. Stafford retiring this year would have brought $48MM in dead money for the Rams. Los Angeles’ latest rework will reward Stafford with $40MM guaranteed on Day 5 of the 2026 league year. That represents a player-friendly structure, but the team could lower his $48.27MM cap hit with another extension — one that would seemingly be completed before that mid-March vesting date. Though, it will be difficult for the Rams to commit future guarantees to their QB standout due to his year-to-year approach at this point in his career.
Stafford’s MVP award may well be what pushes his Hall of Fame candidacy over the goal line one day. The former Lions starter amazingly had only one original-ballot Pro Bowl nod — a requirement for Hall of Fame entry — through 16 seasons. He has since upped that count to three, delivering some of his best work from 2024-25. The Rams won two playoff games this season, including an overtime thriller in frigid Chicago, and pushed the Seahawks to the brink in an NFC championship game shootout. After that game, McVay took exception to a question about Stafford’s return; the coach indicated he would obviously take Stafford back.
L.A. has two first-round picks this year, thanks to a trade-down move that gave Atlanta James Pearce Jr. in the 2025 first round. The team has tabled a move for a Stafford heir apparent for a bit. But the 2026 quarterback class is not particularly appealing. The lot of potential first-rounders disappointed or returned to school, pointing to the 2027 draft as a much better class beyond this Fernando Mendoza-centered crop. The Rams did not see Stetson Bennett take off, and they have used Jimmy Garoppolo as their backup over the past two seasons. Garoppolo is once again a free agent.
For a stretch in training camp, it looked like the Rams would need Garoppolo for regular-season duty. A back injury kept Stafford off the practice field for weeks. This reminded of his elbow malady during the 2022 offseason. But the former No. 1 overall pick was ready by Week 1 and did not miss a start.
The Rams will hope for a smooth offseason with their signal-caller this year. If/once Stafford begins a sixth season as the Rams’ starting QB, it will mark the first time a Rams passer has started in Week 1 in six straight seasons since Marc Bulger (2004-09).
Rams GM Les Snead Addresses Pending Puka Nacua Extension Talks
The 2026 could prove to be a rather busy one for the Rams. Clarity on the Matthew Stafford situation will be critical, while members of the team’s 2023 draft class are now eligible for extensions.
That group includes star wideout Puka Nacua. As things stand, Nacua is on track to enter the 2026 campaign as a pending free agent. Working out an extension to prevent a potential departure has been seen as a priority for some time now, and general manager Les Snead recently spoke about the pending negotiations on a new deal in Nacua’s case.
“He’s evolved into one of the best,” Snead said (via Gary Klein of the L.A. Times). “It seems like, ‘OK, that’s a pretty simple contract because it’s pretty self-explanatory where you fall in the ecosystem and the hierarchy.’ But there’s also so many variables… So again similar to a few players that we’ve had in the past… that have been at that level in the ecosystem, you’ve got to begin communication and begin working through it to come up with a win-win solution.”
It would come as no surprise if Nacua and his camp pushed for a market-topping deal this spring. Ja’Marr Chase worked out a Bengals extension averaging $40.25MM per year last offseason. The NFL’s salary cap was set at just over $279MM for 2025. It will exceed $300MM in 2026, something which will no doubt continue the inflation of certain position’s markets. Nacua is of course a strong candidate to benefit from the upward movement in the cap ceiling.
The former fifth-round pick broke out with a stellar rookie season, collecting second-team All-Pro honors along the way. Nacua was limited to 11 games in 2024, but he remained healthy this year en route to another hugely productive campaign. The BYU product led the NFL in receptions (129) and yards per game (107.2); that helped earn him a first-team All-Pro nod along with a second Pro Bowl invitation. Any long-term pact worked out in Nacua’s case will surely move him near the top of the financial pecking order amongst receivers at a minimum.
The Rams have fellow WR Davante Adams on the books for 2026. He is expected to remain in place at a cap charge of $28MM, although Nacua inking a monster extension would lessen the chances of Adams being retained in the future. Los Angeles has several other ascending players to consider extending, such as defensive tackle Kobie Turner, guard Steve Avila and edge rusher Byron Young. Finding room for them, as well as Nacua, will prove to be challenging.
Snead, like head coach Sean McVay, recently signed a Rams extension. He will be tasked with keeping the team’s core intact for as long as possible, and efforts on that front will include a push to extend Nacua over the coming weeks or months.
Sean McVay Addresses Rob Havenstein’s Future; Rams Eyeing Warren McClendon Extension?
The only Ram left from the franchise’s St. Louis stay, Rob Havenstein has spent 11 seasons with the team. The longtime Rams right tackle, however, is coming off a second straight injury-plagued season and is unsigned for 2026.
Havenstein signed two Rams extensions, playing out the second deal — three years, $34.5MM — in 2025. But the formerly dependable blocker missed 10 regular-season games and all three Rams playoff contests. He missed six games in 2024. It is not yet certain Havenstein, 33, wants to return for a 12th season.
[RELATED: Rams Extend Sean McVay, Les Snead]
“I think it’s very similar to Matthew [Stafford] … give them a little bit of time, let them digest, unpack the emotions of where they’re at,” Sean McVay said. “Whether they continue to play, or whether they don’t want to play anymore, they’ve been legacy players, they’ve been legacy human beings, more importantly.”
The Rams look to have more than a contingency plan in Warren McClendon; they may have a true Havenstein successor. McClendon filled in for the RT mainstay and fared well, to the point Essentiallysports.com’s Tony Pauline notes the Rams are eyeing an extension with the young blocker. McClendon made 10 regular-season starts before lining up opposite Alaric Jackson in all three Rams playoff games, giving the former fifth-round pick an onramp to a full-time RT role in 2026.
Now extension-eligible, McClendon is coming off a strong season in relief. He graded second in run block win rate among all tackles per ESPN, which also ranked the Georgia product 12th in pass block win rate at the position. McClendon only played in five games as a rookie, but he started five in 2024. A future in which he lines up opposite Jackson long term may be in play.
The Rams already gave Jackson a three-year deal worth $57MM, keeping their UDFA LT find off the free agent market last year. The team has All-Pro guard Kevin Dotson going into the final season of a three-year, $48MM pact. Left guard Steve Avila is entering the final season of his rookie contract. Pro Football Focus ranked Avila 10th among guards in 2025. The former second-round pick would seemingly be an extension candidate as well, but the Rams have some matters to sort out on offense.
Another round of Matthew Stafford contract talks will likely be on tap, though the MVP favorite is undecided on returning for an 18th season. The Rams’ 2023 draft also has produced a champagne problem. In addition to Avila and McClendon, the Rams have Puka Nacua, Byron Young and Kobie Turner now extension-eligible.
This creates a logjam for a team that made 14 picks during the 2023 draft. Nacua will be the obvious priority, but the team has four other starters to consider paying soon. None will be eligible for a fifth-year option, as all were drafted between Rounds 2 and 5, placing some urgency on the Rams.
As for Havenstein, he has started 148 games since being drafted in the 2015 second round. That ranks seventh among all O-linemen in Rams history. Among tackles, only Hall of Famers Jackie Slater and Orlando Pace have made more starts in franchise annals. But Havenstein running into ankle and knee trouble in November places his future in question. He would hit free agency for the first time if unsigned by March 9.