LA’s quarterback will take some time to mull over his future, but he should be welcomed back if he wants to play
The Los Angeles Rams fan base will be anxiously waiting as QB Matthew Stafford takes some time away to contemplate his future and possible retirement; However, if he does want to play in 2025, it would be mutually beneficial to both him and the team to run it back again next season.
Stafford may not have had a stat heavy season with LA in 2024, but overall the veteran quarterback still had a very solid year with just under 4,000 yards passing, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also had two games with four passing touchdowns and helped bring the Rams within 20 yards of being in the NFC championship for his second time in just four years with the team.
The Rams have Stafford under contract for the next two seasons, but rumors of him being traded at the deadline this year when LA was struggling to a 1-4 record early in their 2024 campaign have quietly kept going. This has left many to question how Los Angeles will handle their QB situation in the offseason.
When Stafford was asked about his future after the game, the veteran QB did not commit to anything directly but certainly seemed like he was implying he may have more in the tank. “I feel like I was playing some pretty good ball,” said Stafford. As the interview continued, he was asked whether he has football left in him, to which he replied, “Sure feels like it.”
WR Puka Nacua made it clear where he stands in terms of his quarterback, saying:
“Everybody in this locker room, we believe in [Stafford] with every inch of our being,” wide receiver Puka Nacua said. “It’s a great feeling going out there and knowing that your quarterback is willing to put it all on the line and he’s capable of making plays anytime it’s asked of him. We have all trust in No. 9.”
Sure, it’s clear that it’s time to at least consider what’s next beyond Stafford, who turns 37 in February, but with no real top-tier quarterbacks available in free agency, and a lack of exceptional prospects at the QB position in the collegiate draft this year, it seems it would be best for both the team and player if the two were able to stay together for 2025.
Stafford will ultimately have the final say if he even wants to return next season or retire, but if he returns, I doubt he would want to start over and move his family again. As for the Rams side of things, the team will have a pick too late in the first round of the draft to take any of the top quarterbacks without making a major trade.
Their are some options at quarterback for Los Angeles, but on paper none of them feel like an upgrade over Stafford. The Vikings Sam Darnold is probably the best available free agent, but after LA’s nine sack effort that saw Darnold struggle mightily against their defense, I doubt the Rams are racing to shell out a ton of cash to sign him over keeping what they have.
Another option would be someone like Aaron Rodgers who is not expected to return to the Jets next season. However, this seems like a lateral move at best, and realistically is probably more of a downgrade from Stafford, as Rodgers is five years older and looked like a shell of his former self in his first year back from his Achilles tear last year. The only way I see someone like Rodgers in Los Angeles next season is in the situation that Stafford throws a wrench in the plans and decides to retire.
Stafford has come up clutch in so many moments during his time in LA, what he brings to a team is more than what can be quantified in stats. He’s a leader that galvanizes a locker room, and his teammates want to win for him. Los Angeles may start peeking into what lies after Stafford’s gone, but for 2025, I think there is no better situation for both the Rams and Stafford than a reunion.