Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Getty
Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams calls a play against the Detroit Lions.
The Los Angeles Rams have plenty of quarterback questions to answer, and the biggest one remains about starter Matthew Stafford. Stafford, the reigning NFL MVP, is in for the 2026 season.
However, there are still some wrinkles for the two sides to iron out.
Rams head coach Sean McVay spoke candidly about the situation, with the official start to the offseason just over one week away.
Sean McVay: Rams in Talks With Matthew Stafford
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams gestures against the New Orleans Saints.
Stafford led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns during the 2025 regular season, and his final stat line from the postseason belies the outcome for the Rams. However, Stafford’s contract ranks 16th in total and annual value.
He is in the final season of a two-year, $84 million pact.
“We’ve had great dialogue,” McVay said, per LA Daily News’ Adam Grosbard on March 3. “We’ll work through all of those things.”
Stafford, 38, is the all-time leader in NFL earnings with $408 million. And while his next deal is unlikely to reach the four-year, $160 million extension he inked with the Rams in 2022, Stafford could still cash in.
Spotrac projected Stafford’s market value at $54 million annually.
They suggested a two-year, $107.9 million pact as an example of what he could command. That would continue the Rams’ year-to-year setup with Stafford.
“QB Matthew Stafford’s 2026 salary becomes fully guaranteed on March 15th,” Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti wrote in January, noting how the QB loomed large over the Rams’ offseason planning. “Converting it to a bonus can free up $11.7M of cap space.”
Matthew Stafford Not Only QB Question in LA
Jimmy Garoppolo, Los Angeles Rams
GettyJimmy Garoppolo #11 of the Los Angeles Rams looks on before the NFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Carolina Panthers.
The Rams’ plan behind Stafford also looms large, with backup Jimmy Garoppolo heading into free agency. McVay is aware of the potential interest in Garoppolo, including from former assistant Mike LaFleur, who he said “wants to steal our guy.”
LaFleur became head coach of the Arizona Cardinals this offseason, and his relationship with Garoppolo has sparked speculation for the former San Francisco 49ers star.
“I love Jimmy,” McVay said, per TheRams.com’s Stu Jackson. “Would absolutely love him back.”
Garoppolo has spent the past two seasons as Stafford’s backup. But there might not be another team that wants Garoppolo more than the Rams besides the Cardinals, though he could certainly have other options.
Rams QB Room Heading for Remake
Stetson Bennett IV, Los Angeles Rams
GettyStetson Bennett IV #13 of the Los Angeles Rams runs the ball against the Dallas Cowboys.
The Rams have run the gamut in terms of being a potential landing spot for a quarterback, particularly via the draft, though finding a long-term replacement for Stafford has been a projected focus.
The Rams have not used many draft resources to address their quarterback room, preferring instead to build the roster around Stafford.
Stetson Bennett IV is their only draftee since taking Jared Goff first overall in 2016.
Bennett was a fourth-round selection in the 2023 draft. The Rams are a contender, and it can be difficult to develop a QB in that environment, given the limited reps available. However, history is full of QBs who sat before starting and went on to have impactful careers.
Step 1 for the Rams is finding a prospect–or, perhaps, a young veteran–that they feel comfortable projecting as Stafford’s eventual successor.