Following a rough 27-7 season-opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers, former All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman didn't hold back in criticizing how the Los Angeles Rams deployed their newly overhauled secondary.
The Rams made major waves this offseason by revamping their cornerback room, trading for standout cover man Trent McDuffie and signing former Kansas City Chiefs teammate Jaylen Watson. Known for playing sticky, aggressive coverage, expectations were high for the duo. However, defensive coordinator Chris Shula heavily relied on a zone-heavy scheme in Week 1, running zone on 77.8% of their snaps, per Sumner Sports.
Sherman argued that forcing players away from the schemes where they built their reputations is a recipe for failure.
"There's
a plan, there's already a formula out there of how to use these guys and how to use them in an effective way versus these condensed sets, versus all the crazy runs that Kyle runs," Sherman said. "Now, maybe you don't have that kind of structure within your playbook to utilize them that way. But then also maybe just keep the guys you got, because when you don't play the guys' strengths, when you don't use them in the way they've been used and the way they've thrived and had great success in their careers, then you're wasting them.
"Like, you don't use a Corvette to Uber. Like, you just don't, you know? What's the point? Like, you you you get in the Corvette, you're racing."
Richard Sherman is concerned about the Rams defense. Where does it start? How they use their corners. He explains in *very* good detail:
— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) September 15, 2026
"You don't use a Corvette to Uber. You get in a Corvette, you're racing...you pay them their money, let him do what he was doing." https://t.co/g3U1WboIDZ pic.twitter.com/hQRtnyGEng
Despite the overall defensive struggles and the lopsided final score in Melbourne, McDuffie and Watson largely held their own individually, giving up just two receptions for 15 yards and a touchdown on five combined targets.
Even so, Sherman's critique highlights a critical philosophical question for Los Angeles moving forward: will Sean McVay and his staff adapt their scheme to unlock the true potential of their marquee defensive additions, or continue trying to fit their players into their old system?
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Ex-NFL CB rips Rams for misusing new defensive additions
