The Los Angeles Rams will finish the 2026 season without Jaylen Watson, as the Rams corner back needs surgery on his right shoulder and will be placed on season-ending injured reserve.
Watson hurt the shoulder during Sunday’s 24-9 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, making four tackles before he left the field.
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NFL fans reacted to Watson’s season ending after just seven games.
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“They should trade for Charvarius Ward,” wrote a fan.
“Super teams failing is great,” wrote another fan.
“That terrifying 2026 Rams D ran into the worst injury luck possible,” wrote a fan.
“What is it with DB’s that leave KC and immediately become cursed with injuries/regression,” wrote a fan.
“At least it’s before the trade deadline,” wrote another fan.
In seven starts, Watson had 24 tackles, one interception and nine passes defended, and he led the Rams’ cornerbacks in snaps through eight weeks. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, he allowed a 48.5% completion rate as the nearest defender, the fourth lowest among players with at least 30 targets.
“It’s a bummer for him,” McVay said. “He’s been such a stud for us. He wanted to be able to play through it.”
Watson signed a three-year, $51 million contract with the Rams in March, leaving Kansas City after four seasons, two Super Bowl rings and 178 tackles in 53 regular-season games.
Rams’ options after Jaylen Watson’s season-ending injury
Sean McVay named Josh Wallace and Emmanuel Forbes Jr. as the immediate answers at outside cornerback. Forbes, who worked as a rotational piece last season, is the more likely to absorb Watson’s boundary snaps, while Wallace was standing over Watson when he went down against the Chargers.
However, neither offers Watson’s combination of size and run support, which is why the Rams may look outside the building. The trade deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 4 p.m. ET, four days away. Charvarius Ward’s name has circulated in trade speculation after NFL insider Jason La Canfora reported that Indianapolis could move one of its cornerbacks.
Edited by Chaitanya Prakash
