It’s no secret that the Los Angeles Rams have question marks at quarterback. Not only is Matthew Stafford’s future uncertain, but they don’t have a clear succession plan at the position.
Stetson Bennett doesn’t look like a franchise quarterback and Jimmy Garoppolo is a pending free agent, so it’s not as if they have a viable replacement on the roster.
The Rams could draft a quarterback early or sign one in free agency, but ESPN’s Ben Solak has another idea: trade for Kenny Pickett. Pickett is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is coming off a season in which he backed up Jalen Hurts for the Super Bowl-champion Eagles.
Pickett is still just 26 years old and while he didn’t live up to expectations as the 20th overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, it’s too early to write the final chapter of his career. Solak floated the possibility of the Rams trading for Pickett in his “big prediction for the offseason” section of ESPN’s offseason guide, so it’s not as if he’s reporting that a deal will happen.
Big prediction for the offseason: The Rams desperately need a young quarterback to develop behind Matthew Stafford. I predict they’ll trade for Kenny Pickett, currently the QB2 of the Eagles, to fill the role after failing to land an acceptable rookie option in the draft. — Solak
Pickett was the Steelers’ starter for two seasons in 2022 and 2023, going 14-10 in 24 starts with just 13 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions. He may not be someone a team builds around in the near future but we saw Sam Darnold go from cast-off to Pro Bowler to big-ticket free agent, so stranger things have happened.