The Los Angeles Rams know Matthew Stafford will be their starting quarterback in 2024. What they’re unsure of is who will back him up. Stetson Bennett’s future is uncertain after missing his entire rookie season on the non-football illness list, and Sean McVay couldn’t commit to Bennett being on the team next season.
Carson Wentz is a pending free agent so he may not be back in 2024, either.
One fascinating player who could be an option for Los Angeles is Zach Wilson. He’s still under contract in New York but after a tumultuous 2023 season, the Jets are likely to move him this offseason.
Might the Rams swing a trade for Wilson and bring him in as Stafford’s backup, while potentially developing him into a future starter in Los Angeles? Legendary quarterback Steve Young says the Rams would be the best landing spot for Wilson, while the 49ers, Chiefs, Dolphins, Vikings and Packers would also make sense based on the offenses they run.
“To me, the place he needs to be is in L.A.,” Young said on “The Adam Schefter Podcast.” “Go with Sean McVay, follow Stafford and just sit there and watch the magic and then see if you can pick it up. If you can, then you can be one of the best because you have the talent for it. But he has to get to one of those spots.”
Wilson replaced Aaron Rodgers as the Jets’ starter last season after Rodgers tore his Achilles in Week 1, but he was also benched multiple times. He ended the year with just eight touchdown passes and seven interceptions, giving him only 23 touchdown passes in three years (34 games).
There’s still time for Wilson to turn things around, but after three disappointing years in New York, he won’t have a long leash no matter where he ends up in 2024.
“There’s these innovative minds taking advantage of the rule changes,” Young added. “He needs to get to one of those spots. He needs to join forces. If we’re going to see anything out of Zach Wilson into the future, he needs to get away from these places that are not quarterback-friendly.”
McVay has a history of crafting a quarterback-friendly offense in Los Angeles, doing so with Jared Goff and now Stafford. Baker Mayfield spent five games with the Rams in 2022 and revived his career enough to become the Buccaneers’ starter last season, leading them to the playoffs.
Wilson is a much greater risk than Mayfield was because he’s shown very little evidence of being a quality starter, but the cost to acquire him will be low and the Rams have a need at quarterback.
