The Los Angeles Rams have become one of the most fascinating roster-building case studies in the modern NFL. For years, the narrative around the organization has been simple: aggressive trades, limited high-end draft capital, and a looming salary cap crunch. Yet despite those concerns, the Rams continue to field a competitive roster loaded with high-end talent.
For the San Francisco 49ers, who are now entering a similar financial reality with quarterback Brock Purdy, there may be valuable lessons to take from their division rival. The building blocks that support both of these franchises are similar. Both have respected management, both have an elite head coach, and both have a quarterback making franchise money.
Now, the 49ers were one win away from becoming the top seed of the NFC last season, but remember, they didn't play a first-place schedule; they played a fourth-place schedule. Their window will remain open another year because, despite going 12-5 in 2025, they finished third in the division. It goes without saying that you have to win in the playoffs to be successful, but the path to the number one seed will be there in 2026.
The cost of an elite quarterback
The Rams currently employ the reigning MVP at quarterback in Matthew Stafford, who carries a $48 million cap hit entering the final year of his current deal. The contract includes four void years on the back end, a common modern mechanism the 49ers also often use to push cap charges into the future.
San Francisco is now facing a similar challenge. Purdy's cap hit jumps to $24.7 million in 2026, accompanied by a whopping $90 million dead cap figure. The deal escalates significantly over time, eventually peaking at $72.5 million in 2029 before dropping slightly to $64.5 million in 2030, where the dead cap falls to just $7.5 million.
In other words, the 49ers are entering the stage where their franchise quarterback will command the type of cap space that forces difficult roster decisions. The Rams have already shown what navigating that reality can look like.
Staying aggressive in the face of salary cap limitations
Even while operating in a tight financial environment, the Rams have continued to add premier talent.
Last offseason, Los Angeles made one of the more notable moves in the league by acquiring three-time All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams. The addition came shortly after the team parted ways with longtime offensive centerpiece Cooper Kupp—a move that initially appeared to signal an offensive step backward. Instead, the Rams simply replaced one elite weapon with another.
Kupp, ironically, went on to win a Super Bowl with another NFC West rival, the Seattle Seahawks.
The Rams' aggressiveness has extended beyond the wide receiver as well.
Los Angeles used its 2024 first-round pick on pass rusher Jared Verse, but outside of that selection, the franchise has traded away its first-round pick in nine of the past ten seasons. Nine of the last ten drafts; that's crazy. The latest example came this offseason, when the Rams moved their most recent first-rounder in a deal that brought All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs. And the roster stability supports that approach. Every starter on both sides of the ball—aside from cornerback Cobie Durant—is currently under contract through the 2026 season.
In short, the Rams are positioned to remain competitive in the near future.
Add in a recent three-year, $36 million extension for safety Kam Curl, and the picture becomes clear: the Rams are not rebuilding, they're reloading. It's noteworthy though, the Super Bowl is in their building this coming season, or as I like to say, the 49ers vacation home.
Winning without premium draft capital
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Los Angeles' model is how well they have drafted without relying on first-round selections.
The Rams' defensive front has been built largely outside the first round. Players like Braden Fiske, Kobie Turner, Byron Young, and Kamren Kitchens were all second- or third-round selections who quickly developed into contributors or starters.
The offensive side tells a similar story.
Wide receiver Puka Nacua, running back Kyren Williams, and receiver Jordan Whittington were all fifth- or sixth-round picks who have played meaningful roles in the Rams' offensive production. For a team that frequently trades away premium picks, hitting on mid-round selections has been paramount.
Lessons for the 49ers
The 49ers are no strangers to bold roster decisions themselves. The organization has not hesitated to move premium picks when necessary. However, the most infamous example remains the trade-up to select Trey Lance in the 2021 draft.
San Francisco surrendered multiple first-round selections to move up for Lance, a gamble that ultimately failed to produce long-term returns, and part of me feels as though the organization has yet to fully recover from that swing-and-miss. Even with Purdy emerging as the franchise quarterback, the ripple effects of that move may still be impacting the roster today. Imagine having those draft picks and Purdy.
For the 49ers, the challenge will be to maintain that same balance as Purdy's contract escalates.
If San Francisco can combine its existing star power with more consistent success in the middle and late rounds of the draft, there's no reason it can't mirror the model currently being executed in Los Angeles. If the past few seasons have shown anything, it's that the Rams' approach isn't reckless. It's calculated.