Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams came up short of a Super Bowl appearance, losing to the Seattle Seahawks 31-27 in the NFC Championship Game. They now enter the offseason facing several undertakings.
That includes whether or not Stafford will come back for the 2026 season or retire. Not even head coach Sean McVay knows exactly what will happen. “I’m keeping my fingers crossed, like you guys, that he wants to still play,” he said after losing to the Seahawks.
At 38 years old, the quarterback does have one more season left on his two-year, $84 million contract. No matter what, though, it’s clear the three-time Pro Bowler is on the back end of his career.
With that in mind, Athlon Sports’ Luke Easterling predicts the Rams will plan for the future and select LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
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Over the past five seasons with LSU, Nussmeier has thrown for 7,699 yards, 52 touchdowns and 24 interceptions. He was once viewed as a first-round talent, but a lack of production in 2025 hurt his stock.
He appeared in only nine games in 2025 due to an abdominal injury. Nussmeier completed 194-of-288 passes for 1,927 yards, 12 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 133.8 passer rating.
Despite not necessarily living up to expectations, he’s viewed as one of the top passers available in the draft. Pro Football Focus lists Nussmeier as the No. 4 quarterback and No. 81 player.
If Stafford returns, sitting for a year and learning McVay’s offense would be beneficial to his development. On the other hand, his retirement in this scenario could lead to Nussmeier competing for the starting spot as a rookie.
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