It seems the Los Angeles Rams have already identified a potential replacement for quarterback Matthew Stafford.
In a piece published Monday, The Athletic’s Jordan Rodrigue reported Rams head coach Sean McVay “really likes” veteran backup QB Jimmy Garoppolo. Rodrigue added L.A. could re-sign Garoppolo — an unrestricted free agent — as a “bridge QB.”
Stafford is entering the third year of a four-year, $160M deal and has $4M in guaranteed money remaining, via Over the Cap. Per Rodrigue, both parties met before Super Bowl LIX to discuss a new contract but have made little progress, which could increase the team’s chances of trading him.
If L.A. moves on from the 37-year-old passer, would Garoppolo help the Rams clinch their third straight playoff berth?
When he started for the San Francisco 49ers from 2017-22, Garoppolo went 38-17 in the regular season and guided the club to a Super Bowl appearance in the 2019 season.
His tenure with the Las Vegas Raiders was far less successful. In 2023, Garoppolo went 3-3 in six starts, posting an underwhelming 77.7 passer rating. The club subsequently benched him in favor of quarterback Aidan O’Connell and released him.
McVay and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan run similar offenses. Perhaps Garoppolo could salvage his career in McVay’s scheme.
That doesn’t erase concerns about the 33-year-old’s extensive injury history. Garoppolo hasn’t played an entire regular season since 2019 because of foot, shoulder and knee issues.
The Rams may have better free-agent options, including Pittsburgh Steelers QB Justin Fields. In 2024, Fields — pick No. 11 in the 2021 NFL Draft — went 4-2 in six starts before Russell Wilson replaced him.
Retaining Stafford — a Super Bowl champion — should still be the Rams’ top priority. However, signing a veteran like Fields and drafting a QB (Texas’ Quinn Ewers, Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart) could be an excellent plan B.
While McVay reportedly likes Garoppolo, banking on him as a viable replacement for Stafford seems too risky.
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