The Los Angeles Rams surprised most onlookers this year by winning the NFC West with a 10-7 record, though perhaps their most impressive result came when they obliterated the 14-3 Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card round by a final score of 27-9.
Despite that successful season, they seem prepared to blow things up this spring. Wide receiver Cooper Kupp announced that the team plans to trade him at some point this offseason, while quarterback Matthew Stafford is currently talking to other teams interested in his services.
On the heels of his looming retirement rumors that have now been kicked down the road, Stafford would represent an upgrade for many teams looking for a veteran quarterback in 2025. Should the Rams trade him, though, they’ll be thrust into a rebuild immediately after making the playoffs.
Louis Riddick Clowns Rams For Letting Matthew Stafford Talk With Other Teams
On ESPN’s “NFL Live,” former NFL executive Louis Riddick discussed why the Rams’ decision to let Stafford seek out a new home is such a huge mistake for the franchise.
“This is mind-blowing to me for a number of different reasons. If you just look at it, from Matthew’s time in Detroit to what he’s accomplished in Los Angeles, that’s enough right there. You can stop right there as far as saying you don’t mess with guys like this,” Riddick opined.
“You figure stuff out. It’s not ‘if we’re going to,’ it’s ‘when we do,’ especially considering where L.A. is in their program building. You saw how that looked in the playoffs this past year — they’re right there. You don’t have him there, you don’t know what kind of trickle-down effect that’s going to have on the team overall,” the analyst continued.
“I can’t imagine he [Rams head coach Sean McVay] is saying, ‘Let’s just play a game of chicken with a guy who’s going to walk right into the Hall of Fame when he’s done.’”
“Let’s just play a game of chicken with a guy who’s going to walk right into the Hall of Fame when he’s done.”@LRiddickESPN thinks the Rams are making a big mistake by letting Matthew Stafford talk to other teams 😬 pic.twitter.com/pqyCbkE7en
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) February 27, 2025
Stafford was his usual self during the regular season, tallying 3,762 yards and 20 touchdowns. However, his play in the absence of Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua wasn’t ideal, leading to a QB+ score of 71.9, good for 22nd in the league.
Other than the volume of passing yards, Stafford didn’t stand out as impressive in this game, which was his second-worst full-season QB+ since 2019. Both of those bottom two have come in the last three years, raising questions about whether his skills are eroding as he enters his late 30s.
However, in the Wild Card Round, the Rams handily took care of the Minnesota Vikings, with Stafford delivering a vintage performance: 209 yards on just 19 completions, along with two touchdowns.
While Stafford’s counting stats weren’t spectacular, many of his rate stats showed improvement compared to 2023.
He increased his completion percentage from 62.6% in 2023 to 65.8% this season and improved his success rate from 47.6% to 49.0%. Additionally, he reduced his interception rate from 2.1% to 1.5%, the lowest of his career (excluding the 2010 season, when he played only three games).
Notably, the Rams’ signal-caller was finally healthy in 2024, marking the first season since 2021 that he didn’t miss a game due to injury. However, he did sit out the team’s Week 18 contest as a coach’s decision.
Ultimately, Stafford is a far better option for teams than any other veterans available at the position this offseason, including Sam Darnold, the quarterback he bested in the playoffs. In this instance, Riddick is right on the money in his chastisement of the Rams’ franchise for their handling of this situation.