Jan. 26, 2026, 1:26 p.m. PT
The Los Angeles Rams will have a prime opportunity this offseason to reshape the future of their franchise. With two first-round picks, general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay can find their next star and almost any position they want.
The biggest question mark around the Rams is whether Matthew Stafford will return in 2026. Even though the veteran quarterback reportedly told people he plans to come back for another season, the Rams may want to get their succession plan in order early.
That’s why ESPN’s Aaron Schatz predicts the Rams will make a big draft day trade for a quarterback in April.
They need a young talent for when Stafford is ready to hang ’em up, whether that’s this offseason or in a few years. What better time to plan for the future than when they have two first-round picks?
But who would that quarterback even be? Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza is expected to go No. 1 to the Las Vegas Raiders or No. 2 to the New York Jets. Both are quarterback-needy teams, so it would take a lot for either team to give up a chance at a franchise player for a mid- and late-round pick.
Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.
This isn’t a good first-round quarterback draft class, either. The next-best prospect is Alabama’s Ty Simpson, Miami’s Carson Beck or Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss. Simpson is a fringe-first-rounder, while Beck and Chambliss are Day 2 or Day 3 prospects.
If the Rams can find a package that lands them Mendoza, then this is a no-brainer. But for a team with needs elsewhere, it would be unwise for Snead and McVay to sell their assets for a shot at one of the other prospects.
