As the NFL trade deadline is fast approaching, the rumor mill is heating up with plenty of interesting names swirling around.
One name that is generating a lot of buzz as we inch closer to November 5 is none other than Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. Despite the Rams starting the season with a disappointing 1-4 record, there is a possibility that Stafford may be playing his final season with the team. If the Rams are able to leverage the remainder of his contract for draft picks and provide Stafford with a fresh start elsewhere, it would be wise for them to at least consider it.
The biggest challenge would then be finding a new team for Stafford. Currently, there is no true contender in need of a quarterback, but that could all change by the Tuesday after Week 9. For instance, if the New York Jets were able to expose some weaknesses in Sam Darnold’s game, the Minnesota Vikings, who have Kevin O’Connell as their coach (who coincidentally worked with Stafford in L.A and won a Super Bowl together), may want to explore the possibility of upgrading at the position if they suffer losses to the Lions and then to Stafford’s Rams.
It’s more likely that Stafford’s destination will be driven by injuries across the league. With four more weekends of football left before the trade deadline, all it takes is one season-ending injury for Stafford to find himself in a new home and the Rams to receive a nice return in exchange.
In a similar scenario back in 2011, the Cincinnati Bengals and quarterback Carson Palmer reached an impasse. However, two days before the trade deadline, the Oakland Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell suffered a broken collarbone, leading to a trade for Palmer to Oakland.
As they say, all it takes is one injury to change the trajectory of a player’s season. We won’t name names (so as not to jinx anyone) but in the NFL, anything can happen.
That being said, the Rams still have a chance to turn things around. With a bye week coming up, if they can string together wins in Week 7, 8, and 9, they may ultimately decide to stick with Stafford for the remainder of the season.
