When the Los Angeles Rams waived kicker Harrison Mevis on Tuesday and signed Blake Grupe off the New York Jets practice squad, head coach Sean McVay took the swiftest corrective action available following a 37-34 overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills on Monday night. Yet as McVay acknowledged during his Tuesday press briefing, swapping kickers addresses only the most visible symptom of an operational malfunction that threatens to undermine an otherwise competitive roster.
The move followed a sequence of critical breakdowns at SoFi Stadium, capped by Buffalo defensive end Greg Rousseau blocking a potential game-winning 48-yard field goal in extra time. That play dropped Los Angeles to 2-3 on the season and highlighted recurring lapses across the Rams’ kicking, coverage, and protection units, The Sporting Tribune reported.
A performance slump meets a veteran replacement
Mevis had served as a reliable presence in 2025, converting 12 of 13 regular-season field goals and posting a flawless 6-for-6 postseason mark, according to the New York Post. However, his accuracy plummeted in 2026 to an NFL-worst 55.6 percent on five makes in nine tries, including a missed 50-yard attempt earlier in Monday’s defeat.
Rather than staging a midseason kicking tryout, the Rams opted for an immediate roster change by acquiring Grupe. As Rams Wire noted, Grupe entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the New Orleans Saints in 2023, converted all 11 field goal attempts over five games after joining the Indianapolis Colts late last year, and holds a career mark of 86 of 105 on field goals alongside 96 of 98 extra points.
McVay pointed to Grupe’s professional background as the primary driver behind the transaction. “He was the best guy available that had real game experience,” McVay said, according to The Sporting Tribune, adding that the team wanted to offer him an immediate opportunity rather than orchestrate an extended kicking derby.
Years of erosion in the third phase
Despite Grupe’s arrival, the Rams’ kicking issues reflect broader structural deficiencies rather than an isolated player slump. Analysis by SB Nation documented that Los Angeles has experienced a steady decay in special teams execution since the departure of veteran coordinator John Fassel following the 2019 campaign. While earlier Rams rosters relied heavily on late-round selections and undrafted contributors dedicated to coverage and return units, recent iterations have struggled to establish comparable depth.
The current unit has not stabilized under coordinator Bubba Ventrone, who replaced Chase Blackburn midway through 2025, SB Nation noted. On Tuesday, McVay publicly reaffirmed his backing of Ventrone, stating that no coaching changes would take place and emphasizing that the unit’s difficulties require internal correction rather than another staff overhaul.
McVay also clarified that Mevis was not exclusively at fault for Monday’s outcome, pointing out lapses in kickoff coverage and line protection that enabled Buffalo’s rushers to break through on the decisive kick, The Sporting Tribune reported.
Discipline problems and roster strain
Beyond the kicking operation, the Rams confront self-inflicted execution errors across multiple phases. Against Buffalo, four separate players committed false-start penalties, a lack of procedural discipline that McVay labeled uncharacteristic and unacceptable, according to The Sporting Tribune.
The franchise also learned Tuesday morning that starting offensive tackle Alaric Jackson faces a two-game suspension, which McVay said Jackson is expected to appeal. Veteran David Quessenberry will step into the starting lineup while the club evaluates opening a practice window for Keagen Trost.
Grupe is slated to make his Rams debut in Week 6 against the Arizona Cardinals, Rams Wire reported. Whether his arrival provides stability hinges on whether McVay and Ventrone can shore up the protection schemes and discipline problems that derailed their kicking operation in the first place.
