Ever since Matthew Stafford announced he would return after a Most Valuable Player campaign, a bar was set for the Los Angeles Rams in 2026.In some ways, it felt like “Super Bowl or bust.”Then the Rams spent their highest draft pick in a decade on the future heir to Stafford’s throne, Alabama’s Ty Simpson. Many wondered why they didn’t invest more in what was appearing to be an all-in push.Their stance was that a contending roster was already set.They are not the only ones feeling that way.The Rams are the betting favorites to win the Super Bowl on every major sports betting platform. They are +700 on FanDuel, +800 on DraftKings and BetMGM and have a 10 percent chance to win on Kalshi.The margin of error is worth noticing, too, though: Tied for second-best odds on FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM and Kalshi are the defending-champion Seattle Seahawks, and the San Francisco 49ers have the fifth-best odds on FanDuel. Both NFC West foes won at least 12 games last season.Whereas many expected Los Angeles to spend the No. 13 pick on a position of apparent need, such as wide receiver or linebacker, the Rams deployed the long view. They saw themselves in the rare position of being able to afford a draft-and-stash selection with future upside.They saw their list of needs as depth-related. They took Ohio State tight end Max Klare in the second round, versatile Missouri offensive lineman Keagan Trost in the third, Miami wide receiver CJ Daniels in the sixth and Alabama nose tackle Tim Keenan III in the seventh.The primary reason the Rams felt they could go with a quarterback at No. 13 was they spent another first-round pick, No. 29, on the one position they did see as a gigantic need. They traded that pick and three other selections to the Kansas City Chiefs for All-Pro Trent McDuffie, who will start at one outside cornerback spot. Then they signed McDuffie’s counterpart from the Chiefs, Jaylen Watson.“I don’t know if it’s as much about the coverage as much as their willingness to put their face on people,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “I think the game honors toughness.”Now, the Rams have a defense that might not have a real weakness. The one spot they didn’t address that offered upgrade potential was weakside linebacker, and coverage on tight ends remains a concern. But they saw that spot as the one they rely on the least. Top linebacker Nate Landman will play in what should again be a league-high usage of dime sets (32.4 percent in 2025, with no other team above 24 percent), tapping into a safeties group of Quentin Lake, Kam Curl, Kam Kinchens and Jaylen McCollough.The Rams didn’t see their defensive roster as far away, despite last season’s second-half regression. In addition to help at outside cornerback, they needed a closer. Now, McDuffie is here to be a solution to both.Whether that can happen could come down to how the Rams insulate and deploy him. Opponents can avoid one playmaking outside cornerback if the other corner or the safeties are liabilities, which made signing Watson and re-signing Curl high-priority follow-up moves.The model will require a more consistent pass rush than the Rams had in last year’s postseason, when Jared Verse, Byron Young and Kobie Turner combined for one sack in three games. Part of that consistency could come from stronger coverage forcing quarterbacks to hold the ball. Part could come from better health for Young, who battled a knee injury in the playoffs; or a step from second-year linebacker Josaiah Stewart, whose 17.3 percent pressure rate placed just above Young (15 percent) and just behind Verse (17.5 percent) but came on just 154 pass-rushing snaps, according to Sports Info Solutions.The goal with McDuffie will be to keep him from being in predictable and avoidable spots. That’s where his ability to perform as an All-Pro on the outside as well as in the nickel spot intrigued the Rams enough to make him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history ($31 million per season).Lake is at his best as a primary nickel. But to make use of Lake’s three-year, $38.3 million extension, the Rams also need to get him in more disguised spots, which means rotating to free and strong safety at times. Putting McDuffie at nickel, with Emmanuel Forbes Jr. seeing some outside reps, could allow that possibility.“Like I told them when they’re like, ‘Where do you want to play?’ I’m like, ‘Put me in a position where we succeed and I’m ready to go,’” McDuffie said. “I’m definitely excited to do some unique things.”Of course, the Rams’ other glaring weakness in 2025 was special teams, which played a key factor in five of their six losses. They believe they have their kicking game worked out with Ethan Evans and Harrison Mevis, and they signed cover man Grant Stuard and long snapper Joe Cardona. But it will really be on new coordinator Bubba Ventrone to develop the back end of the roster into a cleaner product.Ultimately, much of the Rams’ contender model this year will come down to health, particularly on offense. They benefited from strong injury luck for the most part last season, particularly with running backs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, who each played 17 games and combined for 404 carries at the game’s most brutal position. Los Angeles drafted Jarquez Hunter in the fourth round last year to stash for when Williams or Corum gets hurt.But if Stafford, who is 38 and is managing a degenerative back issue, gets injured, the Rams have to be confident Simpson can step in and deliver in high-stakes games. They were ready to draft Simpson even if they re-signed Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason, a team source told The Athletic, because that’s how much they value a backup quarterback on a team where Stafford will take time off in the summer to manage his back.The Rams got 14 games out of Davante Adams and 16 from Puka Nacua, as Adams led the league in touchdown catches and Nacua led in receptions. But their four combined games missed showcased limitations at times, too, when none of their backup receivers appeared ready for a high-volume role the offense was designed for. Los Angeles countered for an early Nacua injury by becoming the league’s top team in two- and three-tight end sets, and it is banking on that model again after re-signing Tyler Higbee and drafting Klare in the second round.Still, when it comes to finding the gear needed to beat other contenders in the playoffs, the Rams will need Stafford to maintain enough of his MVP form at age 38, Adams to repeat enough of his touchdown-leader play at 33 and for them and Nacua to stay mostly healthy. The potential for regression is real for an aging core after leading the league in points scored.To limit the wear and tear, the Rams could lean more into a run game that saw a Year 2 jump from Corum, and they’ll hope for a similar Year 2 leap from Terrance Ferguson at tight end.The biggest question remains at wide receiver, where Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield, Daniels or Xavier Smith will need to be more ready than their secondary options presented last season.But the Rams also didn’t see the draft as their final shot to insulate a Super Bowl-favorite roster. They saw the Simpson pick as a move to free up their 2027 selections, or the ones teams keep asking for ahead of a potentially loaded quarterback draft, a team source told The Athletic. They have between now and October’s trade deadline to measure the third wide receiver battle, Ferguson’s growth and the second linebacker spot. The key will be making a sharp read on the state of the team just one-third into the season.The Rams are walking a tightrope between the present and the future. They’re eyeing another Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium, knowing they have the potential to get there — and the expectation to do so, as well.