The Los Angeles Rams' special teams have failed to deliver on an offseason promise to rid themselves of the issues that plagued their 2025 season. Despite multiple changes, including the hiring of Bubba Ventrone as special teams coordinator, the same problems keep occurring, with missed kicks, breakdowns in kick and punt coverage, and senseless penalties dominating the storylines.
When the Rams take on the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, they will enter the game with their third kicker of the year, Brandon McManus. McManus, who hasn't played since his meltdown in last year's postseason as a member of the Green Bay Packers, hopes to find some late-career success in Southern California.
The reason he's playing is that another coverage breakdown forced
Blake Grupe to make a tackle on a kickoff immediately after converting his first-ever field goal for the franchise. The attempt resulted in Grupe tearing his ACL, sidelining him for the rest of the season. Before Grupe, there was Harrison Mevis, who was near automatic in relief work for Joshua Karty over the last year. Before Ventrone was hired, Mevis missed only one kick and was perfect in three playoff games.
We could talk about how the Rams' draft strategy leaves Ventrone devoid of true special teams players and resources other special teams coordinators might need, but Ventrone also got a brand new long-snapper in Joe Cardona, and an ace in Grant Stuard this offseason, so things even out.
Fans have grown tired, and despite public backing from Sean McVay, it's evident McVay is tired of being asked the same questions every week, especially when it comes to special teams. This Raiders game will serve as a barometer for where Ventrone stands in McVay's mind and if a change is imminent. The execution needs work and time, but if Ventrone's unit doesn't show any improvement, the noise from outside the facility will be too loud to ignore. The fans want answers, and they don't care who they have to fire to get it rolling.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Bubba Ventrone has no more excuses for Rams' special teams failures
