The rumor mill is rife with rumors of the Los Angeles Rams possibly trading Matthew Stafford in a move that could open the door for Aaron Rodgers as he chases one more elusive Super Bowl ring.
Rodgers, a proud California native, isn’t ready to retire. While the 41-year-old quarterback has been linked to the Pittsburgh Steelers in recent days, it’s another team that has drawn Rodgers’ interest. The future Hall of Famer reportedly wants to take his talents to Los Angeles.
The idea of pairing Rodgers with Sean McVay is an appealing one. (Rodgers told Pat McAfee he’s a “big fan” of the Rams head coach). However, there are a lot of dots to connect and parts to move in order to make that fantasy a reality.
Shannon Sharpe Doesn’t Believe Rams Should Sign Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers listed the Rams as his top option, according to Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. The one-time Super Bowl champion will be looking to join his third new team in four seasons after the Jets informed him they would be moving forward without him in 2025.
Not only that, Rodgers has already been recruiting long-time teammate Davante Adams to travel with him to Los Angeles. Sound familiar? It should. Will it work? The doubters are out in full force.
Sharpe, appearing on ESPN’s “First Take” show, was asked to comment on the possibility of Rodgers joining the Rams and the opinionated former star player turned broadcaster didn’t hold back.
Sharpe doesn’t see Rodgers as an upgrade over Stafford. He also doesn’t seem to think Rodgers has much left in the tank.
“Is Aaron Rodgers better than Matthew Stafford at this stage in his career? Absolutely not,” Sharpe said, vehemently and unapologetically. “Now, if you are just going to go ahead and move on from Matthew Stafford … go ahead and get Stetson Bennett in there or whatever the case may be and move on. But don’t be trying to go get a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers and hope he can rekindle what he once was in Green Bay because I don’t think that’s going to work.”
Our source(s) are telling us that Aaron Rodgers is currently out of the country..
He will join the progrum when he’s back..
He’s a BIG FAN of Sean McVay #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/j8x9BAwgGc
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 26, 2025
Bennett was the third-stringer for the Rams in 2024 so there is an outside chance the franchise could turn the keys over to him next year. He won two college national championships at the University of Georgia but has yet to take a professional snap in the regular season.
Backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent once the new league starts on March 12.
Matthew Stafford to Rams Rumor Gaining Steam?
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler prefaced Sharpe’s comments with a detailed report explaining why Rodgers remains in play for the Rams.
The plugged-in reporter cited sources telling him that Adams — a legit cut candidate for the Jets — is indeed willing to relocate to Los Angeles, especially since his hometown of East Palo Alto is minutes away from SoFi Stadium.
“It’s the perfect fit if the Rams move on from Matthew Stafford … Aaron Rogers lives in the Malibu area. He has some relationships with people with the Rams,” Fowler said on the “First Take” show.
“He would fit seamlessly in Sean McVay’s offense. He would be a major discount over Matthew Stafford which allows the Rams to allocate resources elsewhere, to try and win a Super Bowl.
“Davante Adams, you see him there, he could come with him. I’m told Adams wants to play on the West Coast where he’s from. He could replace Cooper Kupp. On paper, there are a lot of dots to connect here. Stafford still wants to stay in LA.”
.@JFowlerESPN still believes Matt Stafford will be with the Rams next season, but he wants a substantial raise.
How far will the Rams go as Matt Stafford tests the market? 💰 | @ESPNLosAngeles pic.twitter.com/FktR8Zq7PD
— UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio (@UnSportsESPN) February 25, 2025
Matthew Stafford vs. Aaron Rodgers: PFSN Rankings
PFSN had Stafford and Rodgers neck-and-neck in their NFL Quarterback Rankings. Rodgers was one ladder rung above Stafford at No. 21, earning a QB+: 72.2 (C-; 21st) … and produced some fantastic numbers in the clutch for those looking for a silver lining.
PFSN wrote: “On the season, Rodgers has a -0.02 EPA/DB (27th), ranks 36th from a clean pocket (0.07 EPA/DB), and has converted just 33.5% of the time on third down (29th). His 6.2 nYPA ranks 30th and is very low, considering he’s getting 5.8 YAC/Cp, which ranks ninth this season.”
#Raiders minority owner Tom Brady and #Rams QB Matthew Stafford ran into each other at a ski resort in Montana, sources say.
The meeting, unplanned, was not extensive or in-depth and did not include Brady “hosting” or “recruiting” Stafford, despite reports saying otherwise. pic.twitter.com/eUucyxzxsW
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 26, 2025
Meanwhile, Stafford checked in at No. 22 with a QB+: 71.9 (C-; 22nd) in the regular season. He excelled in a clean pocket, but struggled when pressured. He just turned 37 years old on Feb. 7 and showed frequent signs of aging last season.
PFSN wrote: “Stafford finished with a 0.07 EPA/DB and a 42.9% conversion rate. He did not elevate the team from a clean pocket (0.17 EPA/DB) and did not hurt them when being pressured (-0.09 EPA/DB).
“Stafford finished the regular season with his second-worst full-season QB+ since 2019. Both of those bottom two have come in the last three years, raising question marks about whether his career is now trailing off to a point where he might be done.”