The Los Angeles Rams may have addressed what life will look like at quarterback after Matthew Stafford. They drafted Ty Simpson 13th overall in the 2026 draft. However, the reigning MVP’s future with the organization remains uncertain to a degree.
Stafford turned 38 in February and is entering his 18th NFL season.
However, Stafford has said that his body feels good and that he is still enjoying playing the game. Neither of those are small admissions at this stage in his career.
Matthew Stafford Return to Rams in 2027 Called ‘Most Likely Outcome’
GettyMatthew Stafford is expected to be back with the Rams in 2027.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano laid out the situation the Rams are in with Stafford, including that he is under contract through the 2027 season with $50 million guaranteed coming to him.
The Rams are also Super Bowl favorites.
Despite all that Stafford and the Rams–who have Stetson Bennett keeping QB2 warm for Simpson–have going for them, Graziano noted age and health are factors in how much longer the three-time Pro Bowler continues to play. He expects Stafford will “take some time” to decide.
“By all accounts, Stafford is healthy, rejuvenated and thinking about playing two more years,” Graziano wrote on August 20.
“He also has a degenerative back condition, has already won a Super Bowl and has made more money than he could ever possibly need. Stafford walking away after this coming season would not be the biggest shock in NFL history. And the Rams know they don’t have much longer with Stafford, which is why they used their 2026 first-round pick on quarterback Ty Simpson.”
Despite that, Graziano believes the “most likely outcome” for the Rams is ultimately that Stafford “gets to the end of the season feeling fine and decides to play again in 2027.”
There was a “long-shot outcome” that looms large, though, and that is that they “flop.”
“Health issues plague Stafford and several of the other older stars on the roster,” Graziano wrote. “The Rams fall well short of the Super Bowl. Star wideout Puka Nacua never gets his contract extension, and the offseason opens with questions about whether he’ll leave in free agency. The Sean McVay TV rumors percolate again. And a banged-up Stafford decides it’s all too much and walks away with that one year left on his contract.”
Rams Control Destiny in Many Key Ways
GettyPuka Nacua’s future most likely remains with Rams despite contract uncertainty.
The Rams believe they have shored up their deficiencies with Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson at cornerback, as well as boosting their pass rush with reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to complement Stafford and an offense that led the league in 2025.
Stafford’s health, or that of his teammates, is not fully in their control. But the Rams can control several of the other “long-shot” outcomes Graziano mentioned.
Nacua’s future seems the simplest, despite all of the complicating factors around it.
The Rams can apply the franchise tag and kick the can down the road another year. They could even use the transition tag if they want. That would allow the market to dictate where Nacua’s next deal should come in. The Rams could simply match any offer he receives.
As for McVay, snagging Simpson at least one year early gives the head coach time to get invested in his next QB1 while still enjoying the present with Stafford.
Rams Predicted to Get Good News on Matthew Stafford With ‘Long-Shot’ Caveat