Rams commit to Stafford for 2024. But questions abound over who will be his backup

When it comes to a head coach and quarterback combination in the NFL, perhaps no pair is as effective, and underestimated, than LA Rams HC Sean McVay and the Rams starting QB Matthew Stafford. Since arriving on the LA Rams roster, Matthew Stafford has guided the LA Rams team to a victory in Super Bowl LVI, has led the team to a regular season record of 24-17 in 41 games, has completed 936 of 1425 passes (65.7 percent completion rate) for 10,938 yards, 75 touchdowns, and 36 interceptions.

And after seeing the way he played in the Wild Card Round of the 2024 NFL Playoffs, a disappointing 24-23 loss to the Detroit Lions, it looks like Stafford has many more years of competitive NFL football left in him.

Of course, there are some prerequisites now that Stafford is getting older. The LA Rams can no longer go bargain basement shopping for offensive linemen. As of right now, both Spotrac.com and OverTheCap.com project the LA Rams t be among the Top-15 teams in terms of spending on their offensive line group. That is far better than past years when the Rams were among the stingiest NFL teams in terms of paying offensive linemen.

But the Rams need an effective running game too. That is vital to keep pass rushers honest, and ensure that Stafford has sufficient time to read the secondary and his progressions. It was clear in the latter half of the 2023 NFL season that whenever the Rams could get RB Kyren Williams on track, the Rams offense were nearly unstoppable.

But there is a serious concern about the venerable veteran quarterback for the Rams, a man who will turn 36 on February 7, 2024. Despite a perception that Stafford has somehow managed to turn back the hands of time, he has taken a pounding over his 15-season NFL career. And as tough as the guy is in terms of getting back up after a hard shot, at some point in his career, the body will not be able to answer the call to suit up and step onto the football field.