The Los Angeles Rams did everything they could to keep Matthew Stafford this offseason and now they may not get to see the quarterback that won them a Super Bowl in 2022 play in the season opener. According to Ian Rapoport, Stafford is dealing with an aggravated disc in his back. The Rams added Davante Adams and have Puka Nakua in a receiver room that was destined for greatness with Stafford under center.
The good news is with him probably not playing much in the preseason anyway, the next month will be critical for his recovery. He could very well still be in line to start Week 1 depending on how severely he aggravated it. If it does take him longer to get back on the field, the Rams will have to consider some alternative options under center.
Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t who I want to turn to on a team that’s built to win right now. The Rams will have to get creative in finding the right quarterback. Hopefully for them, it’s just a temporary solution and not one that has to play significant time this season. Here’s who the next quarterback of the Sean McVay quarterback school should be.
Malik Willis
Malik Willis has been forgotten about, despite being a phenomenal backup to Jordan Love. Last year, in relief, Willis played in seven games with 550 passing yards and three passing touchdowns. He also had 138 rushing yards and a touchdown. He’s the type of quarterback that can do just enough to help the Rams while Stafford comes back.
He was 2-0 as a starter last year as well for the Green Bay Packers. The Rams have to consider bringing him in. The Packers probably won’t ask for too much with Love being young. They won’t need a long term back up. And because Willis is just 26 years old, he could be Stafford’s successor when he retires.
The Rams need to start thinking about who their next quarterback is going to be and it will probably be easier to get a young player that’s been around the NFL rather than hope a rookie pans out when they turn to the NFL Draft.
Willis is the ideal player for that situation. If he plays well, which I anticipate he will, he could be auditioning for the long term job in Los Angeles. He won’t have to do too much, but he won’t have the pressure to be the immediate savior. Stafford will most likely play in 2025. So as long as he’s not losing games, he should be able to prove to McVay and the Rams he’s worth keeping around.
Trey Lance
Trey Lance turned heads in the Los Angeles Chargers’ first preseason game of the season against the Detroit Lions. Lance is probably the best option. He was taken No. 3 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft and has been a starter. His biggest problem, though, is health. He’s played in just 12 games over three seasons and been relegated to backup quarterback after things didn’t work out in San Francisco.
Lance landing with the Chargers opened up an opportunity he probably didn’t expect in showcasing he’s still good enough to start in the NFL. Like with Willis, landing Lance would not only give them an interim option now but also a long term option when Stafford retires. The Rams should be wise in going after a quarterback that can use this season to learn the system and prepare for the future.
They have that in Lance. While he is an injury liability, he might be worth taking a gamble on. Using the season to learn from a former Super Bowl winner could go a long way to helping him recapture the spotlight that made him a top five draft pick.
Jake Browning
This is a bit of a wild card pick here, but stay with me for a second. Browning came into relief for Joe Burrow during the 2023 season after Burrow was sidelined with a wrist injury that held him to just eight games. That season, Browning threw for 1,936 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Interestingly enough, the Bengals went 9-1 that year with Browning going 4-3 as a starter.
Browning did more than he was asked to do that season and proved to be a respectable backup. He could be both a backup this year and future starter for the Rams if they take that gamble. Being in the same quarterback room as Burrow is invaluable and going from that to a quarterback room with Stafford is even better.
The Rams need a player that can produce for them right now and generate wins. Browning, though a risk, can come in and be that player. If the Rams get an update that Stafford misses just a couple games at that to start the season, Browning’s worth looking into. Once Stafford comes back and Browning goes back to his backup role, he will now be able to learn the offense truly and be ready to take over.
Kenny Pickett
He’s not the best option, but if there’s any coach that can save Kenny Pickett, it’s Sean McVay. Pickett has had an interesting NFL career, going from first-round pick and the incumbent to Ben Roethlisberger to being traded for Dorian Thompson-Robinson to be a backup. The Cleveland Browns have too many quarterbacks and need to start making some moves.
Sending Pickett out west might not be the best option, but it’s mutually beneficial. In an interim setting, Pickett should be able to hold his own until Stafford gets back healthy enough to play. Aside from his season in Philadelphia, Pickett hasn’t gotten a chance to learn from a proven veteran yet.
This could be the best chance for him to take a year off and truly focus on growing in the mental side of the game. In Cleveland, he’ll be forced to play in a situation that’s set up for him to fail. In Los Angeles, he may be thrown to the wolves in Stafford’s absence, but he’ll get a chance to take a back seat again and learn from one of the best.
Pickett, statistically, hasn’t really looked that good. The Rams could be a fresh start for him to not only get a chance to play in a better situation, but potentially prolong his career with one of the best coaches that can develop a quarterback.