Why Matthew Stafford's injury could mean bigger problems for the LA Rams

It get harder to heal, and slower to rehab, as players age

The LA Rams had to know that Stafford would start to age at some point. But the Rams front office appears to have done too much too little too late by drafting rookie quarterback Stetson Bennett. It may be that Bennett turns out to be a competent NFL starter, but the mystery of his absence has painted the Rams into a corner. With little hope of Bennett returning to the Rams roster anytime soon, the Rams lack of attention to a Stafford successor is coming back to bite them.

No, the sky is not falling. But for the second season in a row, the LA Rams are 3-5, Stafford is injured and struggling, and the Rams do not have a viable solution on the roster to take over at quarterback. In 2022, the Rams needed a miracle signing of suddenly available free agent quarterback Baker Mayfield to eventually win two more games and finish the season at 5-12.

Is this Deja Vu all over again? Or is this just a bad nightmare replaying over and over?

After winning Super Bowl LVI, the LA Rams had the opportunity to bring a young rookie quarterback onboard to learn from Stafford, and perhaps be ready to take over if and when Stafford's NFL career and injuries began to take their toll. Instead, the Rams have continued to bank on backing up Stafford with dual-threat quarterbacks who have no similarities to a pocket passer.

Now, that window to hand off the baton may be closing more rapidly than you may think.

Don't look for a veteran quarterback named Baker Mayfield to show up and salvage the LA Rams season. The Rams erred again by not properly addressing their backup quarterback role and trying to save money. In the process, that shortsightedness may prove to be a huge mistake for the second season in a row.