Matthew Stafford is the Rams’ starting quarterback. For now. And perhaps for several more seasons.
But how much longer the 16-year veteran and Super Bowl champion will play is unclear, and the team is preparing for the post-Stafford era.
Perhaps a replacement will fall into place as soon as this week’s NFL draft, which begins Thursday. The Rams have the No. 26 pick in the first round and seven other picks.
Cam Ward of Miami, Shedeur Sanders of Colorado, Jaxson Dart of Mississippi, Tyler Shough of Louisville and Jalen Milroe of Alabama are among the top quarterbacks in this class. Not that Rams general manager Les Snead or coach Sean McVay acknowledges much interest.
“We’re very well aware that there is a life after Matthew coming at some point,” Snead said last month at the NFL’s annual meeting. “When that is — it could be two, three years from now, so it’s not urgent for us.”
Like Snead, when asked if the Rams would consider using a first-round pick on a quarterback, McVay was cagey.
“I think that’s unlikely,” McVay said. But he also quipped, “That’s not something that I would see us doing, but maybe not, huh?”
On Monday, Stafford reported for the start of voluntary offseason workouts. Unlike last year, when a contract impasse lasted until the first day of training camp, the quarterback’s contract situation was not hanging over the organization.
The Rams and Stafford worked out another contract adjustment on the final day of February. Details have not been made public. But as they did last year, the Rams are expected to move money due Stafford next year to this year.
A year-to-year contract scenario with the record-setting passer is “a good problem to have,” said Tony Pastoors, the Rams’ vice-president of football and business administration.
“We all would acknowledge here — you probably have to start planning and figuring out the future,” Pastoors said. “But in the here and now, you appreciate that you’ve got a guy like Matthew. .… You feel like you’ve got a chance every time you step on the field.
“And so, is it ideal? Probably not. But I don’t think anyone’s complaining.”
Why would they?
Since trading for Stafford in 2021, the Rams have won a Super Bowl and made the playoffs three times. Last season Stafford led the Rams to a 10-7 record and the NFC divisional round before losing to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles.
At 37, Stafford still ranks among the NFL’s top passers and savviest leaders. And he has given no indication publicly that he plans to retire anytime soon.
But a couple of years ago the Rams made at least one attempt in the draft to identify a potential successor. In 2023 they selected former Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett in the fourth round. However they no longer regard Bennett, who is No. 3 on the depth chart, as a viable replacement. Jimmy Garoppolo re-signed in March and the 11-year veteran could be a bridge if Stafford retires or is traded after this season.
So the Rams once again could select a quarterback in the draft. Along with the 26th pick — which Snead might opt to trade back from — the Rams have two picks in the third round, one in the fourth and four in the sixth.
“If the right guy fell to 26, maybe he’s the right guy for another team — they might want to move into the first round to draft that right guy,” Snead said. “Maybe that’s better for the Rams than picking that right guy.”
But Snead apparently could not help himself in introducing some gamesmanship to the conversation.
“So that’s how I’d honestly answer that question,” he said. “And then to be honest about the dishonesty, if we were really looking at a QB at 26, we’d probably say an answer like that because you’re maybe hoping they would fall.”
If the Rams do not find Stafford’s heir apparent, there is always next year. Next year’s class includes quarterbacks such as Arch Manning of Texas and Drew Allar of Penn State.
Whenever that day comes, Stafford said that if the Rams “feel the need” to take a quarterback, the team would welcome him with open arms.
“And I’ll try to teach him as much as I possibly can,” Stafford said.