The Los Angeles Rams have a lot to be happy about from the 2025 season. Their quarterback won MVP, and they had a spectacular showing in the NFC championship game. Ultimately falling short, they’ll try to make another run at it next season.
Despite his dominance, though, Matthew Stafford is inching closer to retirement. As a result, one analyst wants the team to prepare for their future after him.
Los Angeles Rams Embrace the Post-Matthew Stafford Era
A dominant regular season that had them near the top of the NFC all season long culminated in a heartbreaking loss to the Seattle Seahawks. However, the hope for the Rams has to be that they can continue on their upward trajectory.
But there are a few hurdles just waiting in the wings for the franchise. Last summer, and before the NFL honors event where he won his first career MVP, there were legitimate question marks about Stafford’s retirement.
While he is returning for the 2026 campaign, it remains to be seen how much longer he will continue with his career. At 38, he is closer to the end than to the beginning, even though his numbers remain elite.
As the league MVP, he led the NFL in passing yards (4,707) and touchdowns (46)Â by a wide margin, ranking at number 6 on PFSN’s NFL QB Impact Metrics while earning All-Pro honors for the first time in his legendary career. But with the end approaching, Los Angeles needs to have a plan in place after he hangs it up.
The genius of head coach Sean McVay, alongside a roster that is overflowing with talent at virtually every position, should make them an ideal place to find and develop the right player. According to Cameron Sheath of PFSN, that process can begin this offseason.
A blockbuster trade with the Kansas City Chiefs to bring in Trent McDuffie has left them without a ton of draft capital this year, as they give up a first, fifth, and sixth-round pick for the star corner.
But in his latest mock draft for 2026, Sheath still wants them to target a prospect at the quarterback spot to potentially find a long-term solution. As a result, with the 93rd overall pick, he has them pegged as a landing spot for Carson Beck out of Miami (FL).
A starter in his final three collegiate seasons, he has a strong resume behind him. However, his lone year at Miami did not turn out as well as most people anticipated, dropping him from a potential first-round selection to a relative unknown.
He still put up 3,813 passing yards and 30 touchdowns through the air, along with two touchdowns on the ground to bring his collegiate total to 96 touchdowns, but as an NFL prospect, there are a ton of questions surrounding him.
However, for a team like the Rams, who have to start preparing for the future and would likely not want to miss a beat, getting some exposure under Stafford and learning at his feet could be a unique way to bring out the best in Beck.
