Arch Manning and Matt Stafford: Rams succession plan

[Pupped]

I'm sure the Manning family would love that. Big market city. Great organization. Great head coach. And ability to draft enough talent to compete year after year. But whoever has that top pick is gonna want a king's ransom for it. The two firsts won't be near enough. It probably take the 2027 first and maybe a 2nd along with it.

If Stafford can stick around for the 2026 season maybe they can use their first pick on one of the other talented QB's to sit a year and learn. And use their day one and two picks to build more talent in 2026 and 2027. A guy like Sellers is compared to Big Ben and Josh Allen. Big and fast with a strong arm. Just needs some polishing.

Can't argue with any of that.

The question will be what they think of Manning and his value. If they think he's worth the extra capital, they'll move up and pay the price.

 

[Pupped]

So many variables.

What if Stafford recovers just fine and has an excellent year and wants to run it back?

What if Manning isn't all that and waits a year?

What if there are more than one QB the Rams think could work for them?

The dream scenario, to me.. would be Atlanta having a bad year and the Rams being in a position to draft a QB without trading any more assets. Use that second first rounder on an OT or CB.

 

[PhillyRam]

So many variables.

What if Stafford recovers just fine and has an excellent year and wants to run it back?

What if Manning isn't all that and waits a year?

What if there are more than one QB the Rams think could work for them?

The dream scenario, to me.. would be Atlanta having a bad year and the Rams being in a position to draft a QB without trading any more assets. Use that second first rounder on an OT or CB.

Agree, in a perfect world there are 4 or 5 guys who they like and they can wait and just take that player later in the first or even 2nd. Athough an offensive coach like McVay will want to have his pick instead of settling for a raw, but high upside guy in rd 2.

 

[Pupped]

Agree, in a perfect world there are 4 or 5 guys who they like and they can wait and just take that player later in the first or even 2nd. Athough an offensive coach like McVay will want to have his pick instead of settling for a raw, but high upside guy in rd 2.

In the position they're in, with the draft capital they have, I don't think there's any way they go for a "raw" guy and I think that would be silly.
I'm more talking about a scenario where there are multiple guys like in '24 and maybe you land on a McCarthy or Penix. If there was no one worth it? I'd look for a one year bridge.. and try to trade down one of the first. rounders to get another first and a little more in the 27 draft.

 

[WestCoastRam]

If Manning is as good as he should be AND he were to come out. There is no shot the Rams get him unless ATL or us suck so bad we get the 1st pick.

With the way the league is configured right now, I don't see a team at 1 who we can trade with who won't need a QB in this draft and won't just take the best one available regardless of trade compensation (I mean, you could offer 10 1st for the next decade but come'on)

 

[Spider2YB]

The wheels are going to totally fall off in Cincinnati. I still think we should try for Burrow even if it’s just a 1% chance.

 

[dang]

Supposed to be 5+ quality QBs available in next years draft. My guess any of them would give their left nut to play for McVay especially if they get a year as understudy to Stafford. Full disclosure, I don’t want Rams to spend 2 1st rd picks+ for any one player next year. Need a quality LOT, CB or maybe WR (Ohio State kid) next year.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Supposed to be 5+ quality QBs available in next years draft. My guess any of them would give their left nut to play for McVay especially if they get a year as understudy to Stafford. Full disclosure, I don’t want Rams to spend 2 1st rd picks+ for any one player next year. Need a quality LOT, CB or maybe WR (Ohio State kid) next year.

No one says we gotta spend both 1sts on a QB next year, might be a 1st and a 2027 1st, etc... We might be able to keep a 1st.

 

[PhillyRam]

No one says we gotta spend both 1sts on a QB next year, might be a 1st and a 2027 1st, etc... We might be able to keep a 1st.

Yeah, that's my thought....If they wanted to target one guy and needed to move up to get him, they still could keep a first and spend a future first. In fact a team may find that more attractive if they think the Rams could be worse in 26' if Stafford retirees. Still would likley have to cough up our 2nd though along with one of the firsts. Maybe get a mid round pick back depending on how big of a move up.

 

[DzRams]

...But whoever has that top pick is gonna want a king's ransom for it. The two firsts won't be near enough. It probably take the 2027 first and maybe a 2nd along with it.

The pertinent question is, is the #1 pick for sale or not? It's very unlikely to be for sale.

But if it is, I have no doubt that the Rams would be willing to pay a king's ransom if a generational QB were available. That would fit the McSnead MO of being super aggressive for critical positions.

 

[DzRams]

Yeah, that's my thought....If they wanted to target one guy and needed to move up to get him, they still could keep a first and spend a future first. In fact a team may find that more attractive if they think the Rams could be worse in 26' if Stafford retirees. Still would likley have to cough up our 2nd though along with one of the firsts. Maybe get a mid round pick back depending on how big of a move up.

This could happen for sure.

Keep in mind though that when trading future picks, they are generally discounted one round. A 2027 1st will have equivalent trade value of a 2026 2nd.

So if they want to retain one of their 2026 1sts and go the future 1st route, the overall price is gonna be higher. There's no way around it being painful.

 

[IkeBruciest]

Rams are too smart of an organization to be all in on Manning. They will be all in on whoever their scouts/McSnead think is the best QB. Might be Manning. Might not. Nobody knows at this point and if this exact same kid with the exact same stats was named Jimmy Everett Jr nobody would be talking about him. We simply don't know how good a kid with 95 college passes is at this point.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I think Nussmier or Mendoza sound like the next best options, if the Rams don't have a shot at Manning. At least at this point. I'm hoping Allar takes the next step but I'm not to faithful that he can.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Charles Robinson on the Yahoo Pod said Rams would move heaven and earth to get Manning if he were in the 2026 draft but it was implied it prob wouldn't matter since some team like the Saints will have the 1st pick anyways and wouldn't want to give it up.

 

[PhillyRam]

I think Nussmier or Mendoza sound like the next best options, if the Rams don't have a shot at Manning. At least at this point. I'm hoping Allar takes the next step but I'm not to faithful that he can.

McShay seems to think Klubnik is #2 right now behind Manning followed by Sellers.

I would bet Rams upper management would love Mendoza as it may help with the large Latino fan base and garnering more interest from them. Not that McVay or Snead would care about that.

 

[PhillyRam]

I remember when people on here were so upset that we passed on this guy and let him fall into Detroit's lap.


View: https://x.com/pfrumors/status/1959612067733766211?t=9ElQC_k-PSfYIYMN2O9OTQ&s=19

 

[muggmeister]

McShay seems to think Klubnik is #2 right now behind Manning followed by Sellers.

I would bet Rams upper management would love Mendoza as it may help with the large Latino fan base and garnering more interest from them. Not that McVay or Snead would care about that.

If we start drafting to appease the fan base then we are fucked as an organization. Maybe we should trade for Sanders to appease a certain fan base?

 

[muggmeister]

The wheels are going to totally fall off in Cincinnati. I still think we should try for Burrow even if it’s just a 1% chance.

2 more years and Burrow will demand his way out of Cinncy. He has seen enough of the organization to know this not how you run a football team. He will probably exceed 5,000 and 40+ TDs and the defense will keep him OUT of the playoffs altogether. How the hell you DONT your only star defensive player is way beyond football gm malpractice. If the NFLPA actually gave a shit about the players they would be demanding more accountability with the Browns and Bengals, whatever that would look like.

 

[muggmeister]

The most ideal scenario is a QB that McVay loves happens to be available with Atlanta's pick (assuming it is a top 15 pick versus 32). I would be all-in trading our 1st for '27 1st. Imagine Nacua AND Jeremiah Smith?

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

McShay seems to think Klubnik is #2 right now behind Manning followed by Sellers.

I would bet Rams upper management would love Mendoza as it may help with the large Latino fan base and garnering more interest from them. Not that McVay or Snead would care about that.

I was just looking at some of the stronger traits of these QBs and trying to project a fit. Nussmeier reminds me more of a Stafford type when it comes to leadership. He’s got a little gunslinger in him. Mendoza seems like more of a technician with precision passing. I think both would mesh with McVay stylistically. I have to watch them all more but I keep thinking what drove him nuts with Goff was his tendency to make mistakes under pressure. That’s why I’m not considering Allar right now.

Now it’s possible that McVay has been dreaming of a mobile QB like Sellers or they end up liking Klubnik. It’s difficult to discern what they will settle on. They may not even be in position to pick their favorite QB. If 3-4 of these kids really progress we could see a top 6 draft with 4 QBs. It will take a lot to trade up into the top ten.