Rams hold door open for Matthew Stafford exit with one looming destination

It would be unlike the Los Angeles Rams to trade their prime assets for draft capital. As long as they feature Sean McVay at head coach and Les Snead as general manager, the Rams are always a threat to win the NFC West and possibly make a playoff run. However, it's also natural for those same parties to wonder if this current core has run its course. Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp in particular are getting up there in age (per a normal NFL lifespan), and the Rams could hit the reset button rather quickly.

Snead was honest about the Rams outlook following their Divisional Round loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Rams roster and core could look much different in 2025 depending on how this offseason goes for Los Angeles.

"[W]e hadn’t talked to him first so I wouldn’t do it here. Cooper and all these players that are at the end — macro level, we’re talking about a subset of players, not just Matthew and Cooper, that are coming to the end of their career and their contracts, they still have contracts with Rams. Do you keep going forward with that same contract? Do you restructure it in some way? For many reasons, those are all issues we really have to sit down and talk through. We haven’t done it yet," Snead said, per Pro Football Talk.

Could the Los Angeles Rams trade Matthew Stafford? Raiders are looming fit

As PFT's Mike Florio points out, if the Rams didn't want to trade either of those players, they'd be blunt about it. Instead, Snead kept the door open. That doesn't necessarily mean they will trade Stafford or Kupp, but given the current quarterback market (or lack thereof), Los Angeles would be wise to at least listen to offers if they are out there. Hanging up the phone prior to draft day isn't an option.

Much like the Patriots are a natural fit for Kupp if he is open to the move, the Las Vegas Raiders could be a quarterback away from winning under Pete Carroll. The veteran head coach didn't take the Raiders job out of desperation. He genuinely believes in the franchise Tom Brady is building. Brady's vision isn't to rebuild for years to come. He wants to contend, and soon.

If the likes of Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward fall to the No. 6 spot in the NFL Draft, perhaps the Raiders will select one. If not – which seems more likely than not given the desperation around the league for a franchise signal-caller – they could go the veteran route. Stafford would be an excellent fit in Vegas, as they already have some pieces in place in a crowded AFC West.

Again, much of this depends on the Raiders philosophy and what's available to them at No. 6 this April. But, if Brady and the Raiders front office are more comfortable in their ability to contend right away with Stafford rather than rebuilding around Sanders or Ward, they could pull the trigger.