The Los Angeles Rams need a quarterback to succeed Matthew Stafford, but the team is no rush to get this person yet.
As has been the case for the Los Angeles Rams, the team pulled off a huge blockbuster trade, landing All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie for a first-round pick and more.
With the secondary being a weakness in 2025, the Rams addressed that issue in a big way. They are clearly capitalizing on Matthew Stafford returning to the team for the 2026 season, but beyond that is still a guess. While the team needs to find his successor, that is not the plan just yet.
It makes perfect sense that the Rams are biding their time to find a new quarterback simply due to the perceived value of the collegiate class in 2026. Indiana's Fernando Mendoza is the clear No. 1 pick and will go to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Beyond Mendoza is Alabama's Ty Simpson, who is slated to be a first-round selection. The issue with Simpson is he only has one season of starting. He did play a good year of football, but the lack of substantial tape on Simpson is a drawback for most teams.
Following Simpson are Miami's Carson Beck and Penn State's Drew Allar.
The Rams don't need ot take a flier on any of these prospects. They do still have the No. 13 overall pick, but that is likely to be used on more wide receiver, secondary, or offensive line help.
Hitting the panic button on a quarterback does not need to happen right now, and the Rams know it. General manager Les Snead spoke about the team's plans past Stafford, which don't seem to be a worry just yet.
"I think I've mentioned it before," Snead said Tuesday. "We're always working through the scenarios. We're well aware Matthew's closer to retirement than not. Matthew and I had a fun text chain or call the night that Philip Rivers was playing a Thursday night game. He was on date night and I'm like, 'This guy's 44.' That was a joking thing, but let's call it like it is. We've all been honest on that. We're not desperate to. That's always a possibility, but it's not a desperate matter."
Snead mentioned that Stafford will get some sort of contract restructure that will be a year-to-year basis, but it could allow the quarterback to return in 2027. The reigning MVP is closer to retirement than not, but there is no telling if 2026 will truly be his final season.
Regardless of when Stafford steps away, the Rams can push their quarterback need into 2027, which will produce Oregon's Dante Moore and Texas's Arch Manning, among many more highly-touted quarterback prospects.
If Snead can also use the No. 13 overall pick to trade down and acquire another two first-round picks in 2027, the Rams could use those to draft their quarterback of the future.
Stafford may step away from the NFL if the team goes out on a Super Bowl. Then again, if they get close again but don't quite make it, he may want to play until that happens. The Rams are capitalizing on the MVP's shrinking playing window and the team's overall championship run window.
There is no need to find a quarterback right now, and they are better off stacking talent that can carry the roster deep into the playoffs in 2026 and beyond. A trade for McDuffie is the kind of move that signals an all-in approach for this season.
For now, Stafford is leading this team through 2026, and that is all that is needed.