As illogical as a commerce might sound, we examined why Los Angeles would think about it.
Here is the case for and towards the Rams buying and selling Stafford this offseason.
The case for
Stafford’s commerce worth may by no means get any greater
If Los Angeles intends to transition from the Stafford period, this offseason is the perfect time to half methods. His present deal expires in 2026, giving a possible subsequent staff two seasons with Stafford underneath contract. Contemplating the dearth of excellent quarterbacks on this 12 months’s free company class — Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is arguably the perfect out there — the Rams might get important worth in return for his or her Tremendous Bowl-winning quarterback.
The Rams would get youthful at quarterback
Los Angeles has undergone a youth motion all over the place on its roster however at quarterback. Getting youthful on the place would put the staff’s core on the identical timeline. Stafford not too long ago turned 37. The Rams might pursue Darnold, 27, Steelers quarterback Justin Fields, 25, or a rookie on this 12 months’s draft class so as to add to a core that features huge receiver Puka Nacua, defensive finish Jared Verse and defensive deal with Braden Fiske, all gamers on rookie contracts.
A commerce would save the Rams $4.3 million or $27 million in 2025 wage cap area
Regardless of already being an estimated $44.3M underneath the projected 2025 cap, the Rams may very well be financially motivated to maneuver on from Stafford. Per Spotrac, Los Angeles would save $4.3M towards the cap by buying and selling Stafford in a pre-June 1 transaction and $26,999,999 in a post-June 1. With the Rams additionally exploring commerce choices for Tremendous Bowl MVP huge receiver Cooper Kupp, they might unload hundreds of thousands as they construct their subsequent Tremendous Bowl-contending roster.
The case towards
Rams can win a Tremendous Bowl subsequent season with Stafford
The most important downside with Los Angeles deciding to rebuild is that it’s ok to contend for a Lombardi Trophy in 2025 with its veteran quarterback.
In 2024, the Rams gained 9 of their final 12 regular-season video games to achieve the playoffs and practically beat the eventual champion Eagles on the highway within the divisional spherical. If Los Angeles needs to compete for a Tremendous Bowl title in 2025, it should preserve Stafford.
Youthful would not equal higher
If any staff ought to perceive this, it is the Rams. 9 years in the past, they went all-in to amass the No. 1 general choose of the 2016 NFL Draft and choose quarterback Jared Goff, solely to commerce him 5 years later for Stafford, who expeditiously led the franchise to their first Lombardi Trophy for the reason that 1999 season.
Whereas going youthful would take away the specter of their quarterback retiring anytime quickly, that is likely to be the one profit.
Quarterback purgatory isn’t any place to be
The NFL’s greatest groups have extra constants than variables. Why would the Rams wish to topic themselves to a future shrouded in uncertainty at quarterback?
Los Angeles is aware of what it has in Stafford. Anybody who watched a few of the throws he made throughout the 2024 playoffs understands that he is nonetheless elite. Discarding Stafford can be the final word signal of hubris from Los Angeles, a guess that head coach Sean McVay would make issues work with anybody at quarterback. Contemplating how troublesome it’s for groups to discover a franchise quarterback, that is a ridiculous mind-set. Quarterbacks like Stafford do not develop on bushes. If that’s the case, he would not be practically as priceless of a commerce chip.
