Myles Garrett and the Rams have the tools to terrorize the NFL. Are they the best defense in the league?

T he Los Angeles Rams spent the offseason assembling a defense that, on paper, looks more like an All-Star team than a traditional NFL roster. And according to NFL.com editor-at-large Gennaro Filice , no one benefited more from those moves than defensive coordinator Chris Shula.

After helping guide one of the NFL’s most promising young defenses over the past two seasons, Shula now finds himself with an embarrassment of riches. The Rams not only addressed key weaknesses but also added elite talent at every level of the defense, creating a unit that has the potential to become one of the league’s most dominant groups in 2026.

Filice recently highlighted just how dramatically the Rams transformed their defense during the offseason. The makeover began in March when Los Angeles strengthened its secondary by acquiring cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson from the Kansas City Chiefs. The move immediately upgraded a position group that had long been viewed as a vulnerability.

McDuffie arrived in Los Angeles with an impressive résumé. The former Chiefs standout won two Super Bowls during his time in Kansas City and earned multiple All-Pro selections while establishing himself as one of the NFL’s premier cover corners. Watson , meanwhile, brought championship experience and valuable versatility to the secondary.

The Rams did not stop there

In June, Los Angeles made perhaps the most significant defensive acquisition in football by trading for Myles Garrett . Widely regarded as the best defensive player in the NFL today, Garrett gives the Rams a game-changing force capable of taking over contests on his own. His combination of size, speed, power, and technique has made him one of the league’s most feared pass rushers, and his arrival instantly elevated expectations for the entire defense.

Then came the move that truly stunned the football world. In August, Aaron Donald returned to the Rams . The future Hall of Famer, widely considered one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history , rejoined the franchise where he built a legendary career and became the face of the organization’s defense for more than a decade.

The prospect of Donald and Garrett lining up on the same defensive front is enough to make offensive coordinators lose sleep. Garrett has spent years terrorizing quarterbacks as the focal point of opposing game plans. Donald did the same throughout his Hall of Fame career, routinely drawing double and triple teams while still producing at an elite level. Now, Shula has both players at his disposal.

Championships are not won on paper

On paper, the Rams’ defense resembles something out of a fantasy football draft. Elite pass rushers, championship-tested cornerbacks, and a respected coordinator entering the prime of his career have created enormous expectations in Los Angeles.

As Filice noted, there are still questions that can only be answered on the field. The Rams must determine how all the pieces fit together. Integrating star players, managing roles, and developing chemistry are challenges every talented roster faces. Talent alone does not guarantee dominance.

Still, few defensive coordinators enter the season with a better collection of weapons than Shula. The grandson of legendary coach Don Shula has steadily built a reputation as one of the NFL’s brightest defensive minds. Entering his third season as defensive coordinator, he now has the personnel to fully unleash his vision.

With Garrett generating pressure off the edge, Donald commanding attention inside, McDuffie l ocking down receivers in coverage, and Watson providing additional depth and versatility, the Rams possess the ingredients necessary to field the NFL’s most feared defense. If the unit performs anywhere close to its potential, Shula's name could soon be mentioned among the league's top head-coaching candidates.