The Los Angeles Rams are currently cruising heading into Week 11 of the 2025 NFL season, with Matthew Stafford and company firing on all cylinders while riding a four-game win streak that has them sitting atop the NFC West division standings.
Although the Rams’ sole focus right now is the upcoming divisional showdown with the Seattle Seahawks at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, the franchise’s brass must start thinking about the future and what moves need to be made after the 2025 campaign comes to an end.
Perhaps the most significant move to ponder, or at least be prepared for, is what to do if Stafford decides to call it a career after this season, which could easily end up being the case.
Kyler Murray to Replace Rams QB Matthew Stafford?
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams and Kyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals.
Apparently, there could be an easy path to replacing Stafford in the event he retires or decides to play another season, with the Arizona Cardinals potentially willing to trade star quarterback Kyler Murray.
Murray’s time with the Cardinals may very well come to an end after the 2025 campaign, and a potential destination could be with the Rams, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
The NFL is starving for capable quarterback play, so he should find a home somewhere. The Rams would be an interesting option. With Matthew Stafford turning 38 in February, Murray could learn Sean McVay’s system and get a chance to potentially start down the road.
Although Murray will always be a risk due to his injury history, there’s a chance that head coach Sean McVay could unlock the former No. 1 pick in Los Angeles. Murray would have the ideal situation with the Rams, with a rising star in wide receiver Puka Nacua and the potential of Davante Adams sticking around for a bit longer, as well as a strong ground game with running back Kyren Williams coming out of the backfield.
It’ll be interesting to see what the Rams do during the offseason to address the quarterback position, as they’ll have to look into it sooner rather than later.
Matthew Stafford Retiring After This Season?
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams.
Even though Stafford isn’t getting any younger, as he’ll turn 38 in February, the Rams’ star quarterback is having arguably his best season in the NFL, leading his team to a 7-2 record after the first nine games of the 2025 campaign.
With every passing week, Stafford makes a stronger case for winning the NFL MVP award for the first time in his career, as he’s been among the league’s elite quarterbacks this season. However, this could be the last run for the veteran quarterback, which would be a storybook ending if he’s able to win another Super Bowl title and MVP.
If Stafford does ultimately retire, the Rams need to be prepared to fill the void under center, and they may have the means to do so, whether it be moving up for one of the top rookies in the 2026 NFL Draft or making a blockbuster trade for someone like Murray, ESPN’s Dan Graziano.
We obviously don’t know what will happen with Stafford after this season, but there was enough uncertainty around his situation last spring that we have license to speculate on it. The Rams have two first-round picks in next year’s draft, so they might have the means to move around and land a top rookie quarterback. But not everyone is going to be able to do that, and teams will be looking for upside plays in the trade and free agent markets.
There’s a lot still to sort out on this Murray situation, including whether the Cardinals give him another shot this season once he’s healthy. Opinions on Murray as a possible solution for 2026 and beyond could change based on the way the final weeks of this season play out.
As of right now, the Rams are on a roll, with Stafford leading the charge, and could be well on their way to making a deep run in the NFL playoffs.
In nine games thus far, Stafford has thrown for 2,427 yards (4th in the NFL), 25 touchdowns (1st) and only two interceptions with a quarterback rating of 114.8 (4th). He is playing at an incredibly high level with no signs of slowing down.
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