ClutchPoints
The Los Angeles Rams are a conundrum. After a slow start to the 2024 season, the team came together winning nine of their last 12 games to capture the NFC West. Helmed by former Coach of the Year Sean McVay, the Rams combined a strong offense featuring veteran passer Matthew Stafford and wideouts Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp with a young, up-and-coming defense led by Rookie of the Year Jared Verse.
Yet despite a very encouraging showing in 2024, the Rams appear content to blow it all up and start over. The team has already announced its intention to trade Kupp this offseason. And now there’s a growing sentiment that Stafford will be on the block as well.
Not everyone, however, is on board with LA’s plans. Former player turned analyst Dan Orlovsky fails to see the logic in moving on from the Super Bowl-winning quarterback. “The Rams with Stafford next year are Super Bowl contenders,” Orlovsky wrote on X. “Without him – they’re not. I would be shocked and wildly confused if he isn’t their QB next season.”
Trading Stafford doesn’t make much sense for the team in the near term. If the Rams move the 37-year-old signal caller, they’d be on the hook for $68 million in dead cap money. LA would take a $45.3 million dead cap hit in 2025 followed by another $23 million hit in 2026.
Of course, if Stafford stays in LA, he’d expect a contract extension that would likely make him one of the top 10 highest-paid quarterbacks in football. So, perhaps the Rams are looking to avoid shelling out top dollar to a passer pushing 40. That would make sense if Stafford could no longer play like a top 10 QB. But the 16-year veteran led the 10th-best passing offense in the league last season, averaging 227.5 yards per game.
Stafford started 16 games in 2024, throwing for 3,762 yards with 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 65.8 percent of his passes. The Rams went 10-7 and won their division. They then beat the Minnesota Vikings in a Wild Card matchup before ultimately falling to the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round. No matter how you look at it, the 2024 campaign was a success for the Rams.
Now the organization is on the verge of blowing it all up for reasons unknown. Sure the Rams are a young team with the exception of Stafford. But who would replace him at quarterback? Aaron Rodgers’ name has been mentioned. But he’s four years older than Stafford. He’s also expensive, comes with a big old set of baggage and hasn’t won a playoff game since 2020.
Right now the New York Giants appear to be the primary suitor interested in acquiring Stafford from the Rams. But that seems like a nonstarter. It’s hard to imagine the veteran signal caller willingly playing for a team that went 3-14 last season and allowed nearly 50 sacks....
