Rams Should Still Consider Bringing Back Jimmy Garoppolo

The Los Angeles Rams head into the 2026 season with a very strong roster; however, one area that could be viewed as a weak point is the quarterback depth behind Matthew Stafford. As a result of that, it may be worth the team evaluating a veteran player like Jimmy Garoppolo to provide a more reliable option in case Stafford misses time.

While the two sides did seem to mesh well together over the past two seasons, the conclusion of the 2025 season saw Garoppolo contemplating retirement, with Los Angeles wondering what his decision would be.

To answer that question, NFL Insider Mike Garafolo recently reported that Garoppolo is interested in pursuing NFL opportunities in the right situation, whether that be as a starter or as a backup.

"Here's my understanding with Jimmy G, in the right situation, he will come back, and he will play football. He has not decided to retire. He just needed some time to himself this offseason. I don't think anything is imminent. But Jimmy Garoppolo is not retiring from my understanding and he will continue to play," Garafolo said.

At this point, 2026 first-round pick Ty Simpson and three-year veteran Stetson Bennett IV are the Rams' top two options who will be competing to earn the backup quarterback job through training camp. The main issue with that is the fact that neither of them has NFL experience in the regular season and may not be ready if their number is called.

On the other hand, Garoppolo is a player with 12 years of NFL experience and has been able to have a great balance of production and success. In the games he has started, he has posted a record of 43-21 and includes a Super Bowl appearance with the San Francisco 49ers in the 2019 season.

All that to say, Garoppolo could be a very valuable piece for the Rams as a solid backup option as well as a mentor for Simpson.

Based on the familiarity that Garoppolo and the Rams have, in addition to his vast NFL experience, he could be a much better backup option in Sean McVay's system than Simpson and Bennett heading into 2026.

With that in mind, Garoppolo does make sense for the Rams to consider, but it will very likely depend on whether Simpson or Bennett can prove themselves to be ready for the challenge.

After spending the No. 13 overall pick on Simpson, the Rams may want to have him as the backup so he can learn under Stafford and get ready to be the next franchise quarterback.

However, if Simpson is not ready and the Rams do not like what they see in Bennett either, this quarterback situation could see a new addition with Garoppolo as a strong possibility.

With the roster the Rams have heading into next season, they need to have a backup quarterback they can trust to run the offense; otherwise, an injury to Stafford could completely derail the entire season.

In Garoppolo's NFL career, he has learned from some of the best offensive coaches, like McVay, in addition to Kyle Shanahan, who have helped him to become a solid NFL quarterback and possibly one of the league's best backup options.

While there is no guarantee that Garoppolo will be signed by the Rams, his experience and success in the NFL could be something that Los Angeles feels it truly needs to complete what is already a strong 2026 roster.