Getty Former Detroit Lions and current Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford could get an "heir" in a benched NFL quarterback.
Former Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has been with the Los Angeles Rams since 2021, and he won a Super Bowl with them his first year in the fold, so he’s already been to the top of the mountain in the NFL. Now, Stafford is 36 years old, which is getting up there in age for a quarterback in the NFL, and the Rams are 1-3 going into Week 5, so there’s chatter of who the Rams could bring on as a Stafford successor. One suggestion brings a former first overall pick to Los Angeles to train with the team’s offense and eventually become Stafford’s “heir.”
Benched QB Could Be Part of a ‘Succession Plan’ for Matthew Stafford
Former No. 1 overall pick and Alabama star Bryce Young has been benched this season by the Carolina Panthers, and he routinely comes up in trade pitches as one of the most promising quarterbacks who could get traded. In a September 28 feature for USA Today’s Rams Wire, NFL analyst and expert Brock Vierra notes that Young, who is from Pasadena, California, “is very familiar with Los Angeles as he starred for LA county powerhouse Mater Dei and was once set to play for USC.”
“Young needs a fresh start and it should be in the place he called home for the majority of his adolescence,” Vierra wrote. “Young should be a Ram.”
Vierra also writes that the Rams shouldn’t trade anything higher than a fourth-round pick for Young. Once on the team, “Young would fit perfectly in the Rams’ offense, as it’s very similar to what he ran at Alabama,” he added. “The Rams have some of the best offensive minds in the league and for Young, he would be exposed to resources unseen in Carolina.”
Elsewhere, Vierra noted, “Young in LA would be the backup, allowing him to grow in a low-pressure environment with a play caller who understands his needs, should Young ever be called into service.”
Another Quarterback Option for the Rams
In an October 2 feature for Bleacher Report, NFL analyst and expert Kristopher Knox also suggests the Rams trade for Young, saying the Rams “could look to add a possible heir on the cheap—they did, after all, take a flier on Mayfield a couple of years ago.” He also names the New York Jets as a possible landing spot for Young as a potential successor to Aaron Rodgers, who’s 40 years old and probably doesn’t have too many seasons left in him.
But, Knox also has another idea for a new Rams quarterback: Denver Broncos backup quarterback Zach Wilson.
“While Wilson hasn’t played at a high level in the NFL, he has started 33 games,” Knox noted. “This makes him a better potential bridge/spot-starter than Young. He’s also just 25 years old, which gives him more long-term value than Russell Wilson.”
Knox added that “Zach Wilson could be an option for multiple teams, regardless of whether they’re seeking a short-or long-term solution,” and that the Rams “could take a flier on a young quarterback as they work out a succession plan behind Stafford.”
Knox also names the New York Giants as a possible home for Wilson, potentially taking over for their franchise quarterback, Daniel Jones.
Anne Erickson Anne Erickson is an award-winning reporter covering the NFL and college football for Heavy.com. Erickson has years of experience covering the NFL and additional sports, and her work has been published via ESPN, Fox Sports and more. She has interviewed some of the biggest names in sports, including Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff. Erickson also hosts several podcasts and is a Detroit-based radio host. More about Anne Erickson
