LA Rams linked to potential trade for former first-round QB

The Los Angeles Rams are entering year 4 of the Matthew Stafford era and so far, it's been a solid era for both sides. Stafford helped lead the Rams to a Super Bowl victory in his first season in LA and while he had a down year in 2022, he bounced back in a big way in 2023, throwing for 3,965 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 11 picks.

That being said, Stafford is closer to the end of his pro career than the beginning of it and that means that the Rams need to start thinking about what life after Stafford will look like. He's entering his age-36 season and is under contract for at least two more years (there's an out on the contract after 2025), which means the Rams will soon be looking for their next franchise quarterback.

According to Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano of ESPN, the Rams are considered an "intriguing option" for former second-overall pick Zach Wilson, who has spent the first three years of his career with the Jets. The 49ers are also listed as an option for them, as both the Rams and 49ers have offensive-minded head coaches and are teams needing backup signal-callers.

"The Rams and 49ers are among intriguing options for quarterback Zach Wilson, who has permission to seek a trade from the Jets. Wilson is looking for a skilled offensive head coach and a place to revive his career. Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan both need backup QB help at the moment."

- ESPN

Would trading for Zach Wilson make sense for the Rams?

Wilson didn't fare well in New York, throwing for just 2,271 yards and eight touchdowns in 12 games last year. The Jets started him for the first two years of his career but he was then bumped to a backup role when Aaron Rodgers came to town. He was thrust back into the starting role when Rodgers went down with an injury four snaps into his Jets career and it's evident that Wilson's not going to be the guy in New York. The team even permitted him to seek a trade.

The Rams previously gave former first overall pick Baker Mayfield a shot at redemption last year and he appeared in five games for them while Stafford missed time. They're no stranger to bringing in quarterback castoffs looking for a second chance. Wilson could be the next second chance quarterback in Los Angeles.

Wilson certainly wouldn't be starting in Los Angeles (unless, of course, Stafford missed time) but he could benefit from having an offensive-minded head coach in Sean McVay to help him revamp his career.

This is a trade that if it happened, Rams fans might not be thrilled about but it could actually make quite a bit of sense for LA to do this if the price isn't too steep. The Rams are in need of a backup quarterback and maybe McVay could work his magic to "fix" Wilson after a rough start to his career.