Rams reportedly tried to pull off a trade, but got beat out by division rival

The Los Angeles Rams answered the question about who would be their backup quarterback in 2024 when they signed Jimmy Garoppolo to sit behind Matthew Stafford but that reportedly wasn't the Rams' initial plan.

According to Mike Garafolo on the Puck Sports Podcast, the Rams were outbid by the Seattle Seahawks for the rights to trade for Sam Howell.

"The outbid the Rams, who I know that there was a strong feeling from the Rams coaching staff that they wanted Sam Howell badly. They really liked him, so the Seahawks were able to outbid them. So that’s good. You got him. You also kept him away from a team that really could have used him as a potential successor."

Rams were interested in trading for Sam Howell

Howell was initially a fifth-round pick by the Commanders in 2022 and started every game for them in 2023. He threw for under 4,000 yards and 21 touchdowns but had 21 interceptions and was sacked a league-leading 65 times. Howell will sit behind Geno Smith in Seattle and a backup role is the best role for him right now so this was a solid move for the Seahawks, who outbid LA to land Howell.

For the Rams, they have Stafford under contract for three more years with a potential out for 2026 so trying to find his backup before his contract is up is a smart move. Garoppolo is an experienced vet so if Stafford goes down with an injury, he should be able to step in and help run the offense efficiently.

That being said, Howell would have been a nice backup option to eventually turn into a starter down the road. Having Sean McVay to coach Howell up could have been a nice tool to have but alas, the Seahawks won the bid and now could use Howell against LA for years to come. Let's hope this backfires on Seattle.