We can possibly single-handily blame the bad special teams unit for why the Los Angeles Rams were unable to usurp the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks last year. LA struggled in the third phase of the game all season long and it cost them in key moments—including in the NFC Championship game in Seattle where Xavier Smith muffed a punt return to gift the Seahawks a touchdown.
The Rams themselves admitted they had a problem. They fired coordinator Chase Blackburn in December and then turned
to Ben Kotwica in the interim. LA finished as the 22nd ranked special teams unit according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).
It’s clear that the Rams are finally investing in special teams for the first time in a long while. We can still question whether they’ve done enough to course correct and turnaround one of the weakest parts of the team.
Here’s what changed over the offseason:
Changes for 2026:
- Hired Bubba Ventrone as ST coordinator
- Hired Kyle Hoke as assistant coordinator (followed Ventrone from Browns)
- Signed Joe Cardona as long snapper
- Signed Grant Stuard as ace specialist
Expected to stay the same for 2026:
- Ethan Evans at punter
- Harris Mevis at kicker
- Xavier Smith at return man
The Rams truly haven’t had stability on the special teams side since John Fassel left for the Dallas Cowboys ahead of the 2020 season. The coordinator position has been a revolving door and the team has struggled with the tone at the top. Ventrone could individually be the answer for a turnaround. His unit with the Browns ranked second in PFF grade a year ago.
Another significant change is the addition of Cardone. The Rams seemed convinced that the snapping operation was in part to blame for Josh Karty’s struggles at kicker. LA brought back Jake McQuaide last season on a short-term basis and that seemed to help out both Karty and Mevis, who took over the job for LA’s former draft pick. While Mevis is far from safe if he hits a lull, the Rams are effectively betting on an improved operation to lift the overall tide of the unit.
And while Stuard is a welcome addition, I do wonder how much a single individual can help from a return and coverage standpoint. Part of LA’s historical problem on special teams is that they stopped investing in the third phase of the game from a draft standpoint. They need players who can earn their NFL chops as specialists before they carve out roles at their offensive or defensive positions. I’m not sure that systemic issue has been addressed.
One of the most concerning items that went unaddressed was the fact that Smith seems set to run it back as the primary returner by default. The Rams may not need an electric return game to return as one of the best teams in the conference, but they do still need competence and ball security. We can’t write off Smith simply because our last memory of him was one of the most costly mistakes of the season. He’s still closer to replacement level than a value add.
The offseason changes are welcome and the arrow should be pointing up for the special teams unit. I still wonder whether the team has done enough to prevent them from losing games against teams who embrace the third phase. Special teams can create competitive advantages. The Rams aren’t there yet.
The Rams are simply hoping that this group is not outright bad again.
