Matthew Stafford and Co.’s loss against the Miami Dolphins on Monday night provided a reality check to the entire franchise. The Los Angeles Rams’ quest for the postseason just got that much more challenging.
If the Rams bottom out, three-time Super Bowl winner Devin McCourty highlights the QB that they should recruit. This presupposes that Stafford’s time with the Rams is all but over.
Devin McCourty Expresses Possible QB Options for the Rams After the Departure of Matthew Stafford
During his appearance on Pro Football Talk on NBC, the former New England Patriots man earmarked the path forward for the Rams. “Maybe they’re going to get a veteran,” he said. “Maybe there’s a guy that they love in the draft, but they’re not sure they’ll be able to get him.”
“So, there’s a later-round guy that they might like,” he added. “And maybe they go get a veteran quarterback that can come in and help at the beginning of this till we evaluate this young guy, see if he can actually be the guy going forward.”
McCourty highlighted that it is not necessary to find a franchise QB at the top of the draft. With the franchise bringing on a veteran QB, they could let the young QB develop. For this bridge QB, McCourty suggested Sam Darnold.
“Shoot maybe a Sam Darnold next year,” he said. “That could be the bridge quarterback that comes in and helps them get over the hump.”
The Minnesota Vikings QB became the starter after J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending injury. Darnold has been exceptionally good in his role — the 27-year-old has thrown for 2,141 yards and 17 TDs.
Stafford Wants To Quell Retirement Talks
The 2022 Super Bowl winner has 16 seasons of experience under his belt. Earlier this year, during his appearance on the Pardon My Take podcast, he was asked about his retirement plans.
“I appreciate this game,” said the 36-year-old. “It’s given me a ton… I hope I got three or four [seasons] left in me. We’ll see. Every year’s a new year. But I do feel good.”
However, he signed a restructured contract earlier this year that shifted his guaranteed pay from 2025 to 2024. This signaled that his time with the Rams could be nearing an end.