Rams Sign Special-Teams Ace LB Grant Stuard

Latest move to overhaul struggling special teams unit

Apr. 20, 2026 at 2:26am

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a football player in the midst of a special teams tackle, with the player's body and the field broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in vibrant colors.The Rams' special teams overhaul includes the addition of a proven playmaker in Grant Stuard, as the team looks to shore up a unit that struggled last season.Los Angeles Today

The Los Angeles Rams have signed linebacker and special-teams standout Grant Stuard to a two-year deal. Stuard, who served as a captain for the Detroit Lions last season, is the latest addition as the Rams look to overhaul their special teams unit after a difficult 2022 campaign.

Why it matters

The Rams' special teams struggled mightily last season, hampering an otherwise strong year that ended in the NFC championship game. Signing Stuard, a proven special-teams ace, is part of the team's efforts to address those issues and improve in that phase of the game.

The details

Stuard was the final pick in the 2021 draft by Tampa Bay and has spent time with the Buccaneers, Colts, and Lions. While he has played limited snaps on defense, he has been a standout on special teams, playing 79% of those snaps for the Lions last season and even returning three kickoffs. The Rams have also signed veteran long snapper Joe Cardona and are keeping promising kicker Harrison Mevis as they look to overhaul their entire special teams operation.

  • Stuard signed a two-year deal with the Rams on April 20, 2026.
  • The Rams fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn in December 2022.
  • Bubba Ventrone, who coached Stuard with the Colts in 2022, was hired as the Rams' new special teams coordinator.

The players

Grant Stuard

A linebacker and special-teams standout who served as a captain for the Detroit Lions last season.

Sean McVay

The head coach of the Los Angeles Rams.

Chase Blackburn

The former special teams coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams.

Bubba Ventrone

The new special teams coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams, who previously coached Stuard with the Colts.

Joe Cardona

The veteran long snapper signed by the Los Angeles Rams.

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What they’re saying

“The Rams are overhauling their entire special teams operation after a season full of struggles that badly hampered an otherwise strong season, which ended in the NFC championship game.”

— AP News

What’s next

The Rams will look to Stuard and the other new additions to their special teams unit to help improve that phase of the game and support their overall efforts to contend for another Super Bowl championship.

The takeaway

The Rams' struggles on special teams last season were a significant factor in their otherwise strong campaign, and the team is making a concerted effort to address those issues through personnel changes and a new coordinator. Signing a proven special-teams standout like Stuard is an important step in their overhaul of this critical unit.