Stafford Given Plenty of Respect in Post-Draft QB Ranking

The Los Angeles Rams are lucky that Matthew Stafford agreed to a team-friendly deal and passed up on money to remain in Los Angeles. It's due to his stellar play that they are in the midst of a window of Super Bowl contention, as well as how good their roster is built.

If it wasn't for Stafford remaining on the team, Davante Adams would most likely not be in Los Angeles, and the Rams would've been forced to take a quarterback in this year's draft class. Instead, they traded their first-round pick this year to become one of the most intriguing teams for the 2026 NFL draft.

Stafford will be entering his fifth year on the team, and he'll most likely be remembered for winning a Super Bowl in Los Angeles, but outside of that, it's been a lot of ups and downs for Stafford in his time with the Rams.

Cody Benjamin is a sports writer for CBS Sports, and he recently published his quarterback power rankings after the draft and free agency. He believes the Rams have the seventh-best quarterback in the league, which, all things considered, is pretty good.

"Since his move to Los Angeles in 2021, Stafford's trajectory has been twofold: He's either hurt and streaky or upright and super sharp. Now 37, where will he land? Davante Adams' entry should help".

The Rams' signing Adams in free agency and giving Stafford another legendary receiver to throw to in his career helps the Rams bridge the gap between them and the Philadelphia Eagles, but ultimately, this team only goes as far as Stafford will allow it.

In 2024, he completed 65.8 percent of his passes for 3,762 yards with 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also took 28 sacks, which is the lowest amount of sacks he's taken as a Ram. His coming back on a redced deal is amazing for the Rams, but their Super Bowl hopes fly out the window if he sustains any type of serious injury.

For most teams, their season is done when their franchise quarterback gets injured, but this is even more the case with the Rams. They've bought in completely to these next two years being the last dance with Stafford, and while I believe he can win another ring in Los Angeles, there are many factors at play that may say otherwise. This is why I believe seventh-best quarterback overall is pretty fair, considering that he's a veteran and his play has been inconsistent at times.