Rams special teams in the red, prompting talk of a “makeover” before it costs more games

The Los Angeles Rams’ special teams issues have become a central question mark early in the season, at least from the perspective of a recently published national analysis. Yahoo Sports framed the situation as an “extreme special teams makeover” that could become necessary if Los Angeles wants to turn a competitive roster into a championship-ready one.

In that write-up, the core claim is quantitative: through five weeks, the Rams are listed at -31.8 in Special Teams EPA. The implication is straightforward even without every underlying play spelled out. Special teams is the third phase of football, and when it consistently performs below expectation, it can erase advantages built elsewhere, particularly on field position swings and the number of possessions available for offense and defense.

The article also focuses on the kicking component as a potential starting point. Yahoo Sports specifically asks whether Matt Gay could be part of the fix, framing a need for a reliable, repeatable scoring option that converts opportunities into points. In modern roster evaluation, kick accuracy and routine matter because they impact not only field goals but also end-game and situational decisions, such as how aggressively a team can defend leads and how often it must take risks in high-leverage moments.

Beyond kicking, the analysis suggests the Rams could consider more aggressive roster changes than simply tinkering. Yahoo Sports points to two broad approaches: trading for a “familiar face” or signing a kicker who has a track record as one of the most accurate in NFL history. The point is not merely to change personnel, but to address a consistent production gap that, if left unresolved, can become expensive over a full schedule.

For a team coached by Sean McVay, roster design typically emphasizes complementary football and maximizing value across units, which makes special teams especially sensitive. When Special Teams EPA is deeply negative early, it raises the probability that the team will spend future weeks chasing corrections in-game, whether that shows up as altered kickoff strategies, more conservative play calls, or increased reliance on offense to overcome deficits created on the margins.

At the same time, the evidence available here is limited to what Yahoo Sports chose to highlight, and there is no independent confirmation in this packet that a transaction is imminent, nor is there detail on which specific special-teams facets are driving the metric. Special Teams EPA aggregates multiple outcomes, including kicking and return phases, so the “makeover” conversation could involve more than just the kicker position.

What to watch next is how the Rams handle special teams decision-making as the season progresses. If the unit’s EPA remains materially negative, it typically increases internal pressure for personnel changes, practice-game emphasis, or strategic adjustments in the return and kickoff phases. Conversely, if performance stabilizes, the team’s priorities may shift toward refining execution rather than replacing roles.

Either way, the underlying storyline is the same: if Los Angeles wants to preserve its competitive profile, special teams can no longer function as a recurring drag. A metric like -31.8 Special Teams EPA through five weeks is the kind of early-season warning sign that often shapes front-office planning and coaching attention for the rest of the year.