The Los Angeles Rams seemingly have quarterback questions. Since the end of the divisional round matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, there has been question marks and uncertainty surrounding the future of Matthew Stafford in a Rams uniform. The quarterback himself said he still has good football in him, but his wife, Kelly, has hinted that change could be coming – both on her podcast and her Instagram.
Should the Rams decide to trade Stafford, they will have a hole at the most important position in sports. Nick Villano of FanSided says that the Rams could gill that void with a breakout star from 2024 – Sam Darnold.
This feels like a scenario right out of a book for Coach McVay,” Villano writes. “Darnold finally hit his ceiling last year, but a rough playoff game has many teams worried about giving him the bag. So, instead of competing with teams offering $40+ million per season, the competing offers might be half of that. Darnold was really good all season, and he would do great surrounded by the Rams offense. Working off of Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams will allow Darnold to thrive. He would choose the Rams, with an ability to play in Los Angeles and build around an amazing roster.”
Darnold had a breakout year in 2024 with the Vikings, throwing for over 4,300 yards and 35 touchdowns while leading Minnesota to a 14-3 record before getting eliminated by, oddly enough, the Rams. This would be a very Rams-esc move – always thinking one step ahead. Darnold showed that he can be very successful with the right coach and system around him. Kevin O’Connell came from the McVay tree – this would be a good fit should the Rams move on from Stafford.