The Los Angeles Rams are in a weird spot for their franchise. They won the Super Bowl in 2021, the first season with Matthew Stafford as their quarterback. The Rams have since seen the retirement of Aaron Donald, the drafting of franchise cornerstones Puka Nacua and Jared Verse, informed Cooper Kupp of their intentions to trade him, and are now in a very difficult spot at the QB position.
Stafford missed eight games in 2022 while playing mostly full seasons solidly in 2023 and 2024, but his future in LA is murky at best. While the Rams are trying to figure out Stafford’s contract situation this offseason, NFL insider Adam Schefter revealed a possible backup plan for Los Angeles if it decides to move on from Stafford.
Will the Rams Part Ways With Matthew Stafford?
Stafford briefly considered retirement after the Rams’ loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional Round of the NFC playoffs in January but informed the team that he intends to play in 2025. Whether he will still suit up for the Rams, however, remains to be seen.
Stafford carries a massive $49.6 million cap hit for 2025, and the Rams can save $27 million if they trade him after June 1. With Stetson Bennett as the only other quarterback on the roster (Jimmy Garoppolo is a free agent), could Los Angeles look to repeat its formula from its last Super Bowl win?
It’s worth noting that Stafford’s wife, Kelly, recently called out the Rams’ front office for their decision to part ways with Kupp this offseason.
“My husband, like, wants to win. He’s not trying to put a team in a bad situation. If you’re catching my drift, you’re catching my drift,” Kelly said on her podcast.
“I will say, the trading away of Cooper (Kupp)? … I’m confused because we were one play away from going to the NFC Championship. I have to be the dog in this situation — I want the respect for him that he deserves. I love the city of L.A. With that being said … I love an adventure.”
Could the Rams Pursue Aaron Rodgers If Stafford Contract Talks Stall?
During the most recent episode of “The Adam Schefter Podcast,” the NFL insider revealed that if the Rams and Stafford can’t come to an agreement on his deal, he expects Los Angeles to pursue Aaron Rodgers.
While Schefter pointed out that both sides want to work out an agreement and have Stafford finish his career with the Rams, he acknowledged “that can change very quickly.”
“If the Rams couldn’t get a deal done with Stafford, if they decide to trade him — a lot of ifs involved — then Aaron Rodgers, in my mind, would be thrilled with the idea of going to Los Angeles,” Schefter said.
“And the Rams could probably get him at a lower cost than it would be for Matthew Stafford, and they could get draft-pick compensation back for Stafford.
“So, you could see where the Rams would say, ‘Is that a more desired alternative?’ Again, No. 1 [option] is re-signing Matthew Stafford. But if you can’t, now we start to get the quarterback dominos falling, the quarterback carousel turning, and Aaron Rodgers, to me, would come into play in L.A.”
If the Rams cannot agree to terms on a new deal with QB Matthew Stafford, @AdamSchefter expects LA to pursue Aaron Rodgers pic.twitter.com/o6gZjnqVE9
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) February 19, 2025
Schefter believes this quarterback carousel is “unquestionably the biggest storyline of the offseason.”
“There are three veteran quarterbacks out there with at least 350 career passing touchdowns in the NFL who now have unsettled futures: that’s Matthew Stafford, that’s Aaron Rodgers, and that’s Russell Wilson,” Schefter said.
The Rams could look to repeat their Super Bowl-winning formula of trading their current quarterback and bringing in a signal-caller with more experience by replacing Stafford with Rodgers.
Rodgers was informed by the New York Jets that they will be going in a different direction at quarterback, leaving his future uncertain. During his meeting with the Jets’ new front office and coaching staff, Rodgers reportedly asked for two more years, giving a strong indication that he has no interest in retiring.
Could Rodgers be a fit with the Rams?
There have been tons of speculation about where Stafford could end up — the New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, or even the Las Vegas Raiders, who desperately need a QB. While Rodgers could fit with the Steelers or Raiders, the Rams make a bit more sense when considering that he’s a California native.
The Rams may also benefit in the potential change. According to PFSN’s QB+ metric, Rodgers finished one spot ahead of Stafford despite having what many considered a down season. He ranked 21st in QB+, finishing with a 72.2 (C-) grade for the season, while Stafford posted a 71.9 (C-) grade.
Compared to Stafford, Rodgers threw for 135 more yards and eight more touchdowns, while also posting a slightly higher percentage of on-target throws while dealing with the second-most dropped passes, whereas the Rams finished with the third-fewest.