...
By Tyler Erzberger
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Matthew Stafford declined to answer following the NFC Championship loss on Sunday if the defeat to the Seattle Seahawks would be his final game in the NFL.
While it's been rumored that Stafford has informed people close to him that he believes he has more "good football" in him, nothing is for certain following one of the most heartbreaking losses of his career.
So, what do Sean McVay, general manager Les Snead, and the Los Angeles Rams do if the possible MVP of the league retires this offseason?
Read More on NFL
The team is nowhere near a rebuild, with one of the best young cores in football spearheaded by wide receiver superstar Puka Nacua.
From the most straightforward, boring options to the nuclear landscape-changing options, here's how things could shake out if McVay needs a new signal-caller in 2026.
Level 1: Jimmy Garoppolo
The safest and most obvious answer would be the Rams' backup of the last two years in Garoppolo. A former starting QB in the Super Bowl, Garoppolo knows the Rams playbook, and McVay trusts him undoubtedly. The Rams were ready to rally behind Garoppolo before the season started when it looked like Stafford's back might not hold up for the season, forcing him to retire early.
Level 2: Anthony Richardson/Malik Willis/Justin Fields
McVay has shown he can take someone everyone wrote off in Jared Goff after his disastrous rookie season and turn him into a QB who can lead a team to the Super Bowl. Richardson, Willis, and Fields were all seen as potential starters before one reason or another let them fall by the wayside.
Level 3: Aaron Rodgers
The Rams were already looking at Rodgers when Stafford looked like he might sign with the New York Giants or Las Vegas Raiders in the offseason. Rodgers wants one more shot at a ring, Davante Adams wants to make it to a Super Bowl, and the two former Green Bay Packers could ride off into the sunset if everything came together in 2026.
More news: Rams’ McVay Fires Back At Media Over Matthew Stafford Retirement Question
...
More news: Tom Brady Makes His NFL MVP Choice Between Matthew Stafford, Drake Maye
Level 4: Ty Simpson/Garrett Nussmeier/Trinidad Chambliss/Carson Beck
The Rams have two first-round picks, and they could use either to select a quarterback that falls to them at that spot. While none of the names are slam-dunk prospects that are projected as franchise cornerstones, who knows what McVay and Snead could see in one of them? Remember, they found Nacua in the fifth round, and a bunch of their other star players outside the first round.
Level 5: Fernando Mendoza
Unlike the other college quarterbacks, Mendoza is seen as a certified first-rounder and is projected to go first overall. For the Rams to get the Indiana QB, they'd need to trade more than likely both of their first-rounders this year, their first next year, and possibly more for the Raiders to budge from the top spot. If they did, though, Mendoza seems like the perfect player for McVay to mold to his liking after Goff and Stafford.
Level 6: Joe Burrow/Lamar Jackson
If you're going to go all-in on Mendoza, why not even throw more into the pile and shoot for the stars?
Both Burrow and Jackson have had issues with their respective franchises in the past, and neither made it to the postseason this past season amid turnover aplenty amongst their ranks.
Burrow has spoken openly about wanting to be where he can win a Super Bowl, and the Ravens' top brass have said Jackson needs to rework his contract for the organization to succeed.
Matthew Stafford to the Rams broke the internet.
Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson to the Rams might shut it down.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines