The Los Angeles Rams seemed like one of the best teams in the entire NFL all season long. Standing toe to toe with the eventual Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks, they were in contention right up until a heartbreaking loss in the NFC Championship Game.
Even though they bowed out early, they should be a contender once again 2026 thanks to the reigning MVP in Matthew Stafford, an excellent coach in Sean McVay, and a roster brimming with talent. However, one analyst believes adding another weapon for Stafford could be the key to them taking the next level.
NFL Analyst Urges Rams to Add Another Weapon for Matthew Stafford
Last year, the Rams’ offense was the team’s biggest strength, finishing as the highest-ranked unit in PFSN’s Offense Impact metric.
Stafford took home the first MVP award of his career after throwing for 4,707 yards, 46 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions, while Puka Nacua put up a staggering 1,715 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Add in Davante Adams becoming a ball magnet in the end zone with 14 TDs, and the offense was lethal at every level.
However, Peter Schrager believes they can take another step forward as a unit. In his latest 2026 NFL mock draft, he had the Rams selecting Makai Lemon with the No. 13 overall pick that they acquired from the Atlanta Falcons.
Making an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Schrager explained his rationale behind the move.
“This is more Matthew Stafford related and getting him another weapon for his potentially last dance with the Rams,” he said.
In three seasons with the USC Trojans, Lemon totaled 17 touchdowns and 2,008 receiving yards. His numbers continued to improve as his opportunities increased, finishing his final year with eye-popping numbers: 1,156 receiving yards and 11 TDs.
But Schrager has Lemon as a target for LA for more than just his raw numbers.
“Makai Lemon is everything that Les Snead, Sean McVay, and wide receivers coach Eric Yarber love,” he explained. “He is tough as nails, he’s never met a setup of the field that he doesn’t like.”
Given that he is the ideal type of wide receiver that the Rams covet, Schrager believes the possibility of Lemon joining that dynamic offense is very real.
The obvious question is whether this is a luxury pick and if Los Angeles has bigger needs elsewhere. The offense is already elite, so does it make more sense to invest resources in the defense, especially at the top of the draft? Last year, LA’s defense was the fifth-ranked unit in the league in PFSN’s Defense Impact metric. It’s a strong group as well, but they had more ups and downs throughout the season than the offense.
It remains to be seen if Los Angeles sticks to improving its offense even further, or continue its offseason trend of upgrading the defense, including moves like the addition of Trent McDuffie.
