After the Los Angeles Rams watched their Super Bowl hopes slip away in a bruising NFC Championship loss, 6th-year NFL player Kam Curl found himself facing a personal crisis involving questions about what comes next. Following the Rams’ painful exit from the playoffs, the star safety put one rumor to rest, but his words may have opened the door to a difficult negotiation for the front office.

“I really don’t know what’s going to happen,” Curl said, as per Adam Grosbard. He added, “We’re going to let it play out and I’m going to sit back. … I would love to be back here. This is a great organization, a winning organization and I would love to be back for sure.”

Curl signed a two-year contract with the Rams that runs through the 2026 season and now enters the coming months as an impending free agent. The young safety has made his intentions on leaving LA clear through his words, emphasizing that his preference is to continue building with the team he already calls home.

Undoubtedly, Curl had one of the best seasons of his career with the Rams, recording a career-high 122 tackles this year. This was only the second time he’s passed the 100 mark in his career. In the playoffs, he sealed a defining moment in the Rams’ 20–17 Divisional Round win over the Bears by intercepting Caleb Williams on a deep pass intended for D.J. Moore in overtime.

In 2024, Rams head coach Sean McVay recruited Curl, sending him videos of his playmaking in Washington and outlining how he wanted to utilize his versatility with the team. This season, Curl delivered, leading the Rams’ defense with over 1,000 snaps, career-high tackles, and a key playoff interception.

As for the coming season, McVay likely wants Curl back, but Quentin Lake has signed to a three-year, $42 million deal; the team probably won’t give two big contracts to its secondary, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. With Curl’s intention to stay with the team, it could be a turning point in his career.

Looking at other expected roster changes, and with Matthew Stafford’s return in the 2026 NFL season remaining uncertain, the question now is about who will be the Rams’ next starting quarterback.

Rams’ QB dilemma: 2026 draft prospects

After concluding his 17th NFL season, Stafford turns 38 in the first week of February. This now raises the question of whether he will return for the 2026 season or hang up his cleats. Although he led his team to the NFC Championship, the Rams could be exploring quarterback options.

The Rams will trade up in the draft for a quarterback, as per ESPN’s Aaron Schatz. They need a young talent for when Stafford is ready to hang ’em up, whether that’s this offseason or in a few years. What better time to plan for the future than when they have two first-round picks?

The Rams’ best options for a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft could include Fernando Mendoza of Indiana. He leads the group after a Heisman-winning season with 3,535 passing yards and 41 touchdowns, making him the clear Round 1 favorite. Ty Simpson of Alabama, Trinidad Chambliss (Ole Miss), Garrett Nussmeier (LSU), and Cade Klubnik (Clemson) are also among the top projected prospects from this QB class.

For all the quarterback chatter surrounding Los Angeles, the latest mock draft tells a different story. Instead of chasing a signal caller, the Rams are projected to use their first-round capital on Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at No. 13 and Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling at No. 29, reinforcing a win-now approach built on defense and protection.