The Los Angeles Rams suffered several notable losses in free agency, namely John Johnson, Troy Hill and Austin Blythe. Yet, they still managed to improve as a team, ranking as one of the favorites to win Super Bowl LVI.
How? By swapping Jared Goff out for Matthew Stafford at quarterback. That one move has elevated the Rams’ chances of winning a championship significantly, giving Sean McVay a quarterback with a big arm and the ability to win when the play breaks down – something Goff struggled with.
ESPN’s Mike Clay ranked the 25 biggest position upgrades of the offseason so far and the shift from Goff to Stafford was second. Here’s part of what Clay wrote about Stafford’s arrival after saying McVay “did his best to maximize Goff’s skill set,” but that it was time to move on
The 33-year-old is now matched with an elite mind in McVay in Los Angeles and will have a sufficient line and solid group of targets led by Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp and Cam Akers. The Lions might have struggled last season, but Stafford showed he was still an effective passer, ranking 16th in Total QBR, 13th in PFF grade and 13th in average net yards per attempt. It’s possible we’ve yet to see the best McVay offense, and perhaps Stafford will unlock its ceiling.
Stafford isn’t necessarily a proven winner, having reached the playoffs just three times in 12 seasons with no postseason wins, but he played on a lot of bad teams in Detroit. He also got little help from the Lions’ running game, which shouldn’t be a problem in L.A. with Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson in the backfield.
This could be the perfect match between a quarterback in need of a better situation and a team seeking a proven veteran under center to take the offense to new heights. The Rams hope it turns into a Super Bowl ring and with the potential this team possesses, there’s no reason L.A. can’t compete for a championship in 2021.
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