The Los Angeles Rams shocked the world in 2021 when they made the blockbuster swap of former No. 1 overall pick for another, landing Matthew Stafford as their new franchise quarterback. While the trade had fans and skeptics on both sides, no one can say it was a bad move for the Rams, especially considering Stafford delivered them a Super Bowl ring.
Stafford is headed into his fifth season as the Rams’ starting QB, but there have been questions about his future in LA for several years. It doesn’t help that he’s 37 years old and may not have many seasons left. While he’s still playing at a high level, the Rams will eventually have to find a replacement for their star QB.
While the Rams selected Stetson Bennett in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, he had to spend an entire year out of football early on. That suggests he may not be the right man to lead a franchise to another Super Bowl.
However, the Rams may already be making other contingency plans to replace Stafford with another high-level passer. According to Yahoo Sports’ NFL expert Charles Robinson.
“One prominent name that surfaces inside this ideology is Texas quarterback Arch Manning, who some believe will end up being the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft following his 2025 season — if he leaves college before his senior year in 2026. Manning is tied to the Rams for a very obvious reason: Les Snead’s stepson Tate is known to be a close friend of Arch Manning, and Snead himself chatted up Arch Manning at the Texas pro day prior to the 2025 NFL Draft.”
Yahoo’s Charles Robinson on Arch Manning/Rams
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But that’s not all. The Rams reportedly feel like Manning is the only Tier 1 QB in the 2026 NFL Draft class, bringing a Josh Allen-like upside to the table.
“Speaking to a handful of Rams personnel sources, Manning is — at this moment — considered by the staff to be the lone Tier 1 quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft, regardless of who else could enter into the selection process. Why? The Rams covet Manning’s prototypical size (6-foot-4, 219 pounds) and throwing acumen … but also believe his high level of athleticism sets him apart from from every other college quarterback. So much so, the comparison for Manning inside the franchise is that his ceiling after the 2025 college season could be a Josh Allen-type of prospect who is actually stronger physically and a faster athlete than Allen was when he entered the draft in 2018.”
Okay, well the Rams are far from the only team that believes the latest Manning has the potential to be a generational talent. Which begs the question, how in the heck are they going to land a top-five, possibly even the No. 1 overall pick?
The Rams do boast the Falcons’ first-round pick, plus their own in next year’s draft. Those, along with other assets could reasonably be used as strong trade chips to move up the draft board, but if Manning is the prize, then the price could skyrocket out of control.
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