Matthew Stafford has announced that he will return for the 2026 season and will remain the Los Angeles Rams’ starting quarterback for at least one more year. He’s only under contract until 2026, so after that, his future — and the future of the Rams’ quarterbacks — becomes even murkier.
The Rams could sign a free agent to bolster Stafford, draft a rookie in April, or they could explore the trade market. A player for Los Angeles? New Orleans Saints backup Spencer Rattler.
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ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Ben Solak ranked Rattler as one of the NFL’s top 10 trade candidates this offseason, naming the Rams as potential fits along with the Dolphins, Chiefs and Raiders.
They set a 70% chance of Rattler being traded, so he’ll likely be traded with Tyler Shough locked up as New Orleans’ starter.
Buzz: Rattler started 14 games for the Saints in his first two years in the league, and New Orleans lost 13 of those games. He has 12 career touchdown passes and 10 interceptions, and has been replaced as the starting quarterback by 2025 second-round pick Tyler Shough. But Rattler has shown enough to the Saints over the past two offseasons that they’re willing to give him a chance, and there could be a team that brings him in with his talent in mind to see if they can develop him into a more consistent starter. ——Graziano
Rattler, a former fifth-round pick in 2024, signed a cheap contract. He has two years and $2.27 million left on his rookie contract, making him a low-risk option for any team looking to develop a young quarterback.
The Rams signed Stetson Bennett to a one-year contract extension, but Jimmy Garoppolo is a pending free agent. Replacing Garoppolo with the Diamondbacks would give the Rams a viable backup and potentially future starter.
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The Diamondbacks trade wouldn’t require more than a sixth- or seventh-round pick, which the Rams can afford. Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr recently boldly predicted that the Rams would trade Rattler, so he agrees with the move.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: NFL trade candidates: Rams designate fit for Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler
