Rams back to the drawing board as Sean McVay's dream backup QB signs elsewhere

The Los Angeles Rams are in the market for a veteran backup quarterback, and Kirk Cousins has been among the most popular names mentioned. Alas, he's officially off the board after reportedly agreeing to a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders, per his agent, Mike McCartney of VaynerSports.

Cousins fit the bill of what the Rams are looking for, albeit to no avail. They were circling him to be the proven commodity to serve as reigning MVP Matthew Stafford's understudy. However, Los Angeles and Las Vegas weren't the only two squads vying for the former's services.

"Several teams" were interested in Cousins, including the Rams, Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Nevertheless, his connection to the Raiders made Las Vegas a prime landing spot, forcing Los Angeles to pivot.

Raiders beat Rams to QB Kirk Cousins in free agency move that shifts LA’s offseason

Rams head coach Sean McVay recently said he'd "love to be able to see" Cousins in Los Angeles. The club also "talked about" signing the four-time Pro Bowler or Jimmy Garoppolo, who's been the second-stringer behind Stafford for the past two campaigns. Well, now what?

Will the Rams put all their eggs into the Garoppolo basket? Notably (and unsurprisingly), the same suitors that are said to be in on the 34-year-old were in the mix for Cousins. The Cardinals and Packers are each led by disciples of the renowned McVay coaching tree: Mike and Matt LaFleur.

Las Vegas' latest move complicates matters for McVay and Co. There's a real chance the Rams miss out on both Cousins and Garoppolo. It sure sounds like Los Angeles is searching for someone with experience, and the options in free agency are dwindling quickly.

After a pair of disappointing seasons as a member of the Atlanta Falcons, Cousins, who turns 38 in August, heads to the Raiders. Despite the on-field shortcomings, his status as a rising 15th-year pro is a valuable asset. He'll be a bridge and mentor to presumed 2026 No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.

Across 10 games (eight starts) with Atlanta, Cousins went 5-3 and completed 61.7 percent of his passes for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions. His efforts yielded an 84.8 passer rating, which was below the NFL average.