Why the Rams Should Be Patient in QB Search

The Los Angeles Rams have to find an heir to their offense after Matthew Stafford retires. What's an intriguing way they can do that?

Jan 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) walks into the stadium before the NFC Wild Card Round game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Rams have one of the brightest futures of any of the current contenders in the NFL. They were a few plays away from making it to the Super Bowl this season, and they still have a young core they can work with in the future.

The biggest deterrence to their future success will be whether they can follow up Matthew Stafford's dominance in Los Angeles with a worthy successor. Sean McVay's offenses are near guaranteed to be successful, but as it's been shown time and time again, a great signal caller can make all the difference.

How Patience Will Help Them

Jan 4, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay leaves the field following a game against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Stafford has confirmed he'll be back next season, but after that, there's no guarantee he'll come back for a 19th season. It's still up in the air if he can come back and play as well as he did in 2025, or if his body will be able to hold up another regular and postseason.

The Rams may need their successor as soon as this offseason, which is why they're commonly linked to Ty Simpson in mock drafts. He gives them a young play caller who can sit behind Stafford and learn the ins and outs of McVay's offense before making his start in 2027 or beyond.

Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (QB17) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

As noble as that idea is, I think the Rams have much more pressing needs that they should prioritize in the draft. They still want to be competitive next season, and taking Simpson in the first round instead of help in the secondary or offensive line can come back to bite them in crunch time next season.

I'm honestly not a big fan of them using any of their draft picks to select a quarterback, even if it's taking Simpson or another prospect in the later rounds. Especially with Les Snead's hit rate on later selections, I think any of those picks have the potential to be game-changers for them.

Jul 23, 2025; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead watches during training camp at Loyola Marymount University. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Of course, if they can find their franchise quarterback in this draft class, that'd be the crown jewel of Snead's accomplishments. I simply don't think this is the deepest draft class for quarterbacks, and outside of Fernando Mendoza, there doesn't appear to be a player who can take the Rams offense to that next level like Stafford can.

I think they should bring back Jimmy Garoppolo as their backup for one more season, or promote Stetson Bennett IV to be their backup. They shouldn't feel pressured to find their next young quarterback, but it should be something that's on their minds for the future.

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