Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams have been at a contractual impasse for weeks. As things stand, nobody is expecting the Rams to trade their Super Bowl champion signal-caller. However, if they move Stafford, Aaron Rodgers is keen to fill his void.
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ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on Tuesday that Rodgers would “be a perfect fit” in Los Angeles’ offense. He added that the 41-year-old quarterback would provide a “major discount” over Stafford, who may be seeking a $50 million salary. Meanwhile, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reported Rodgers “prefers to play for the Rams” and would “bring Davante Adams with him” to Los Angeles if the opportunity arises.
Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe discussed this possibility on First Take. Sharpe believes such a swap would result in the Rams taking a step down in the NFL’s competitive hierarchy. This is because he doesn’t consider Rodgers to be on the same level as Stafford as a quarterback.
“Do I think Aaron Rodgers is better at this juncture of his career than Matthew Stafford? Absolutely not… If you’re just going to go ahead and move on from Matthew Stafford, go ahead and put Stetson Bennett in… Don’t be trying to go get a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers and hope he can rekindle what he once was… I don’t think that’s going to work,” Shannon explained.
Smith disagreed with Shannon, saying he “has faith in [coach Sean McVay] as a play caller and leader to make it work.” He also stated that even in a “down year” Rodgers passed for “nearly 4,000 yards and 28 touchdowns.”
In comparison, Stafford averaged just six more passing yards per game (235.1) than Rodgers (229.2) in 2024. Their overall numbers are also fairly similar.
From 16 games in 2024, Stafford had a completion percentage of 65.8% (340/517). He recorded 3,762 passing yards, 20 TDs, 8 INTs, and a passer rating of 93.7. Rodgers, meanwhile, played 17 games and had a 63.0% (368/584) completion percentage. He managed 3,897 passing yards, 28 TDs, 11 INTs, and had a 90.5 passer rating.
Also, starting Bennett would mean Los Angeles would embark on a full-fledged rebuild. A fourth-round pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the 27-year-old quarterback won two national championships for Georgia in college. Despite this, he’s still considered just a developmental backup option.
It is true that Rodgers isn’t the signal-caller he once was. But he’s still capable of playing quality football. If the Rams decide the juice in Stafford’s tank isn’t worth the financial squeeze, and think Rodgers would allow them to battle for a Lombardi Trophy in 2025, they could make the trade happen.
We’ll see how the organization feels about the two former NFC North rivals as the offseason trudges along.
