3 realistic landing spots for Matthew Stafford if he decides to leave the Rams
Matthew Stafford is likely to move on from the Los Angeles Rams after four seasons including a Super Bowl and three postseasons.
Matthew Stafford (Image via IMAGO)
Matthew Stafford, who helped the Los Angeles Rams to their first Super Bowl in two decades, is finally planning to move on from the Rams. The veteran quarterback played four seasons in the City of Angels, finishing the last season with 3,762 yards and 20 touchdowns while completing 65.8% of his passes.
Recent reports suggest that the organization has allowed Stafford to have conversations with other teams. There’s a significant challenge to the incoming deal – the new team must decide how much to pay him while also offering the Rams a satisfactory trade package. The higher the Rams’ asking price, the less Stafford’s new contract might be, making it difficult for his camp to assess his true market worth.
According to Over the Cap, Matthew Stafford is under contract through the 2026 season, with cap hits of $49.7 million in 2025 and $53.7 million in 2026. He is also set to receive a $4 million roster bonus in March.
Unless he’s released, which seems unlikely, he won’t have the opportunity to secure a purely market-driven deal. In this scenario, there are three landing spots for the Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
The New York Giants
The New York Giants finished the season being the third-worst team in the league. The season started with a loss marked by boos and immolation of their starting quarterback’s jersey. The said quarterback Daniel Jones was ultimately let go by the team and managed with mediocre backup options.
The third pick in the NFL Draft allows them to possibly draft a quarterback in Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward if the Browns and Titans skip out on them. There exists serious concerns about the upcoming quarterback class and the Giants would need a seasoned quarterback to help them get seasoned.
In their armory, they have the cap space to accommodate his contract with ease. Additionally, they recently hired Stafford’s brother-in-law, Chad Hall, as their assistant quarterbacks coach. Looking from Rams’ perspective, the Giants hold the No. 34 overall pick—a selection the Rams would likely welcome, along with additional compensation. There are even talks on the Giants letting go of the third round pick as well.
Stafford won’t be the answer to their Giants’ ailing playoff drought. They still need additional help in the offensive line despite a stellar wideout in Malik Nabers.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders are also a franchise with serious signal caller issues. They managed the last season with Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell and ended with yet another postseason miss. The Raiders, once a revered club, has made the postseason only twice in the 21st century. They haven’t made it to the first place in AFC West since 2002.
The fans are antsy and dwindling with the lack of excitement and Mark Davis would love to change things for the better as soon as possible. The addition of Tom Brady was able to develop some excitement in the fanbase as well as added pressure to bring in a qualified quarterback.
Matthew Stafford could be a perfect solution. The Raiders have nearly $100 million in cap space—the second-most in the NFL—so absorbing his contract wouldn’t be an issue. The Raiders are unlikely to part with the No. 6 overall pick, but they do hold the No. 37 selection.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The question to replace one Super Bowl winning quarterback with another is a potentially questionable decision. Nevertheless, Matthew Stafford has something that could lure the Steelers to actively pursue him.
The Steelers had yet another unsuccessful postseason – Russell Wilson was not able to create a postseason-worthy offense. Justin Fields was good but again not enough to stay as the starter after Wilson came from an injury. Although, Stafford also had a forgetful postseason, his trajectory hasn’t been as rocky as Wilson.
Moreover, Mike Tomlin would be delighted to coach a quarterback with Stafford’s talent and experience. Furthermore, Stafford’s arrival could lure some quality wideouts to the team as well – the area being a red flag for the Steelers in the recent times. They attempted to bring in Davante Adams last season but the case might not be the same with Stafford in centre.
From Stafford’s perspective, Stafford would have the support of a top-tier defense unlike his years in Detroit. Financially, the Steelers are well-positioned to make the move, with approximately $60 million in cap space, more than enough to absorb his contract. If Pittsburgh wants a veteran upgrade at quarterback to maximize its championship window, Stafford could be the perfect fit.
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