As the Los Angeles Rams continue to prepare for life after Matthew Stafford, all eyes are on potential succession plans. One intriguing scenario centers around Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who surprisingly fell to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. While the Rams passed on Sanders multiple times during the draft, circumstances could soon push them to revisit the former Colorado standout as a potential long-term option at quarterback.
Why a Trade for Shedeur Sanders Could Make Sense
GettyDillion Gabriel (left) and Shedeur Sanders (right) taking reps during mandatory minicamp.
The Rams were among a handful of teams analysts suspected might look at QB late in the first round in April. They chose not to do so, instead trading out of the first round in a deal with the Atlanta Falcons.
The better Sanders gets, the more likely Cleveland will want to hold onto him, and the higher his trade cost will be. Should fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel become the No. 1 in Cleveland or establish himself as the Browns’ QB of the future relatively soon, then a window might open up for the Rams to make an offer. However, it will likely need to be higher than the fifth-rounder Cleveland used to draft Sanders, and there could be competition from elsewhere around the league under those circumstances.
The best chance for LA to go after Sanders, should they decide to want him and get better value by trading a draft pick for him now than by using a higher draft pick on a different QB in 2026, is to offer Cleveland a 2026 third-rounder either ahead of Week 1 or ahead of the mid-season trade deadline. That allows the Browns to essentially flip a fifth-rounder in 2025 into a third-rounder in 2026 via the drafting of Sanders, which is a significant win in the margins — particularly if they don’t believe Sanders can start in Cleveland in 2025 and/or see his chances of ever winning the starting job over Gabriel as small to moderate.
Looking Towards the Future
Stafford, 37, is basically on a “year-by-year renewal of vows,” as explained by NFL senior news writer Kevin Patra. While he’s still one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, the reality is that LA will have to start laying the groundwork for his eventual replacement. And despite several opportunities, the Rams never took a quarterback in the draft, leaving a shaky depth chart at quarterback.
Currently, Jimmy Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett round out the Rams’ quarterback room. Garoppolo, 33, who faces a two-game suspension and has shown major signs of decline, may no longer be a reliable option. Meanwhile, Bennett, 27, has yet to take a regular-season snap and remains an unproven commodity. That leaves a glaring need for a young quarterback who can be groomed into the role, someone like Sanders.
Ultimately, Stafford remains the starter, but the clock is ticking. Whether the Rams find their future quarterback through a blockbuster draft move or a sneaky trade for someone like Sanders, they must take action soon. If the Browns are willing to listen, and if Sanders remains a backup with limited opportunities, the Rams can snag him before it’s too late.
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