Rams continue staying atop the veteran QB market

Retaining Matthew Stafford was only right answer for LA

Matthew Stafford sticking with the Los Angeles Rams was the only right answer for both parties. While Tom Brady unofficially began the great veteran quarterback movement of the 2020s, LA has further cemented its status atop the market by retaining Stafford.

Signing or trading for veteran QBs is a crapshoot, as several teams across the NFL have learned over the last few seasons. It is one of the biggest gambles a team can make, and one costly misfire can set an organization back years.

The Rams and Buccaneers won a Super Bowl immediately and had sustained success after winning the Lombardi Trophy. Other teams, such as the Broncos, Browns, Jets and Falcons, were not as fortunate.

Both the Broncos and Browns made moves for Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson, which are considered among the worst trades in NFL history. Wilson went 11-19 as a starter with zero playoff appearances in the Mile High City before Denver decided to take a massive cap hit to get rid of him.

Essentially, Wilson ruined his legacy and Hall of Fame chances by one lousy trade, and now his future with the Steelers is uncertain. Around the same time, Cleveland decided it would be smart to acquire Watson via six draft picks—including three first-rounders—AND rewarded him with a fully guaranteed $230 million contract. Watson has struggled mightily with injuries and off-the-field issues since his arrival, and the Browns remain stuck in QB purgatory—a match made in football hell.

We already know how the Jets’ trade for Aaron Rodgers went, so that’s not worth revisiting as the four-time MVP searches for his new home. Then in March 2024, Atlanta foolishly gave Kirk Cousins—coming off a season-ending torn Achilles—a four-year, $180 million contract. Cousins led the league with 16 interceptions and was tied for the league-lead in fumbles, getting benched for rookie Michael Penix in Week 16. No matter what Falcons’ general manager Terry Fontenot says, Kirko Chainz is likely gone after one season.

The grass is not always greener on the other side, as these signal callers and organizations can attest. LA sticking with the player that had already gotten them to the promised land was the only right option.

There was little chance that Rodgers at this stage of his career made the Rams a title contender any more than Stafford. I mean, c’mon, some fans saw how A-Rod trashed the Jets before leaving town and still thought he’d be a viable option in Hollywood.

The Rams continue to look smart on the veteran quarterback market where so many others have failed. Teams will continue making the big swings for high-caliber starters because there’s always a chance the move pays off. However, LA retaining Stafford shows that Les Snead and company remain ahead of the curve, and that decision could lead to another Lombardi Trophy.