With 37-year-old Matthew Stafford fresh off an adjusted contract and headed into his 17th NFL season, the Los Angeles Rams should be looking for an understudy and eventual replacement, right?
Perhaps, but history tells us the Rams could take a pass again on picking up a quarterback in this year’s draft. Since Sean McVay took over as head coach in 2017, the Rams have selected only one quarterback in the draft: Georgia product Stetson Bennett in the fourth round in 2023.
Instead, Los Angeles has looked to the trade market and free agency to upgrade the quarterback room. The most impactful of those moves was sending 2016 No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff and picks to the Detroit Lions for Stafford in the 2021 offseason. That led to a Super Bowl victory and three playoff appearances during Stafford’s tenure in Los Angeles.
Other than acquiring Stafford, the Rams have brought in reclamation projects like Blake Bortles, Baker Mayfield, Carson Wentz and Jimmy Garoppolo to serve as backups.
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Some mock drafts have Los Angeles taking Shedeur Sanders or Jaxon Dart with the No. 26 overall pick, or maybe someone like Jalen Milroe or Kyle McCord later. No doubt the Rams are scouting them, but it’s more likely they’re doing their homework in case these prospects become available down the road.
“If you get to know them now, then when they are maybe unrestricted free agents or some version of a trade, you have that data point as well,” general manager Les Snead said. “It can even be when you go play against these players. You can learn about who your enemy on that Sunday is going to be. There are many variables to getting to know these people, for sure.”
Should Stafford suffer an injury in training camp or early in the regular season, the Rams could look to acquire a quarterback like Sam Howell, Will Levis or Kirk Cousins on the trade market or sign Ryan Tannehill or Aaron Rodgers if they’re still available in free agency.
Led by a young and improving defense, the Rams need to use their draft picks to upgrade the overall talent on the roster to take advantage of a Super Bowl window with Stafford leading the offense.
McVay said he would have a conversation with Stafford if the Rams intend to draft a quarterback this week. McVay said he talked with Stafford before drafting Bennett in 2023.
“You want to be as inclusive as you can, especially to players who are in his position,” McVay said. “That would be something that we would do, just like we did when we drafted Stetson a couple of years ago.”
Added Stafford: “If a quarterback comes along and they feel the need to take them, I’ll welcome them with open arms and try to teach them as much as I possibly can.”
For his part, Stafford said he’s focused on making sure he can perform up to his standards in 2025. As he ages, he said he doesn’t take too much time off during the offseason.
“At this level and at this stage in my career, it’s so much harder to get back into it,” Stafford said. “I don’t really ever get out of it. I think that’s the biggest thing for me. I gave myself a couple weeks here or there, but I’m constantly moving and trying to make sure that my body never gets far away from where it was when we ended the season.
“I’m just trying to make sure that I’m at my best today and hopefully come the first Sunday of the year.”
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams.
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