LATEST NEWS: The Rams may emerge as a surprising contender for a quarterback in the….

The Rams may emerge as a surprising contender for a quarterback in the upcoming NFL Draft. While teams like the Bears, Commanders, Patriots, Giants, Vikings, Broncos, and Raiders have been linked to quarterback prospects throughout the pre-draft period, Ari Meirov of the 33rd Team suggests that the Rams could shake things up with an early quarterback pick.

Despite having Matthew Stafford leading their offense for the 2024 season, the Rams are looking ahead due to Stafford’s occasional injury setbacks. After missing a couple of games this season and a significant chunk of games in 2022, the Rams’ coaching staff realized the need to plan for the future.

Last year, the Rams drafted Stetson Bennett from Georgia in the fourth round as a potential successor to Stafford. However, Bennett’s development didn’t progress as expected, leading to him being sidelined and eventually removed from the active roster. With Carson Wentz and Brett Rypien no longer with the team, Jimmy Garoppolo and Dresser Winn currently back up Stafford, but the Rams are eyeing the draft for a quarterback solution.

Given their draft position at No. 19 overall, the top quarterbacks in the draft are likely out of reach without a significant trade-up. This leaves options like Michael Penix Jr. from Washington and Bo Nix from Oregon, both of whom played college football on the west coast. However, Penix is often linked to the Raiders at No. 13, making his availability uncertain.

If the Rams are not sold on Penix or Nix, their options thin out rapidly beyond the top prospects. Spencer Rattler from South Carolina is projected as the next quarterback off the board after the top six, likely with a third-round grade. Michael Pratt from Tulane is another option expected to be taken in the late second day or early third day of the draft.

Beyond these prospects, the quarterback depth diminishes, with names like Joe Milton from Tennessee, Jordan Travis from Florida State, and Sam Hartman from Notre Dame seen more as late-round picks or undrafted prospects.

For the Rams to make a splash and secure a quarterback, they may need to act decisively in the third round or earlier if they are not confident in Rattler’s potential as a future starter.