Matthew Stafford is now under contract with the Los Angeles Rams through the 2027 season. The veteran inked a one-year extension that will pay him up to $105M over the next two years.
The Rams still need Ty Simpson, who they drafted with the 13th overall selection in last month’s NFL Draft. Even with Stafford secured for another season, the long-term succession plan remains unchanged.
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At a minimum Simpson should be a more capable and affordable backup option than Jimmy Garoppolo, who is contemplating retirement. Simpson brings an element of mobility that the offense has lacked for nearly Sean McVay’s entire tenure as play caller.
The Rams will hand the keys over to Simpson when he is ready. They drafted him to be the future franchise quarterback and one day he will get his opportunity.
And said opportunity could come far earlier than most realize. On average across the 2021 through 2025 seasons, only 11 quarterbacks start all 17 games. Stafford is no spring chicken at age 38 and missed the entirety of training camp last year with a nagging back injury. Simpson could see his number called. If he plays well enough, the Rams may feel compelled to start the next era sooner rather than later.
|
Season |
Number of QBs |
Average per Team (out of 32) |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2025 |
11 |
~34% |
Allen, Darnold, Goff, Lawrence, Maye, Mayfield, Nix, Prescott, Stafford, Ward, Williams |
|
2024 |
14 |
~44% |
Highest in the 17-game era |
|
2023 |
9 |
~28% |
Lowest recent year |
|
2022 |
10 |
~31% |
Adjusted for canceled game (originally ~8) |
|
2021 |
11 |
~34% |
First 17-game season |
Two things are certain with life in the NFL: attrition and parity.
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Only a third of Week 1 starting quarterbacks will retain these jobs over the course of the season. The Rams were fortunate that Stafford has not missed a start over the last two years because of injury, although he sat out Week 18 during the 2024 season as LA rested key players ahead of the playoffs. This doesn’t necessarily mean that Stafford is due for an injury; however, good luck only lasts for so long. LA should both be thankful for Stafford’s recent durability while also being mindful of a strong plan B.
Jordan Love sat for three years with the Green Bay Packers behind Aaron Rodgers, and Rodgers studied under Brett Favre for an equal amount of time. Patrick Mahomes took over for the Kansas City Chiefs after a single redshirt season. Philip Rivers took two years to take over from Drew Brees with the San Diego Chargers.
Replacing a great quarterback—simply put—is not easy. There is no straightforward timeline to when Simpson will start his first game nor when he will be ready to take over full-time. Stafford has also earned the right to hang it up under his terms, and Simpson will be better having sat behind him.
But these transitions cannot be planned to a tee. Attrition will likely give Simpson an opportunity over the next couple of years to show how he’s progressing. It’s no slight to Stafford; just simple math and averages.
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