“Going out of business sale” – Matthew Stafford is finished, Rams down and out, Bomani Jones claims
Journalist Bomani Jones recently appeared on an episode of The Right Time to share his take on Matthew Stafford and the Rams' outlook ahead of the 2023 NFL season.
Stafford was acquired by the Los Angeles Rams via trade with the Detroit Lions prior to the start of the 2021 NFL season. His first year with his new team couldn't have gone much better, resulting in a Super Bowl LVI victory.
Year two was nowhere close to being as successful as the first. Stafford missed a significant amount of time dealing with injuries. The Rams fell way short of another appearance in the NFL Playoffs.
The 2022 NFL season was one of the biggest failures ever by a defending Super Bowl champion. Some of that can be credited to Stafford's injury, but they are also feeling the effects of going all-in to win their ring.
They gave away many future assets to build a win-now team and the bold strategy seems to be quickly catching up with them.
Bomani Jones was very critical of the Rams' strategy, or the lack of it. He even deemed Matthew Stafford as someone who is 'finished'.
"I don't know what the hell the Rams are doing. I mean, I do know what they're doing, but still, they looks like they're having a going out of business sale. That's the only way to look at it. The way I see it, they have two good players left. Literally two, Cooper Kupp and Aaron Donald. I know some of you are like, 'What about Matthew Stafford?' I am assuming he is finished. Given his age, given how it went last year on the basis of injury, given all the miles that he's got, I think he's finished.
"So the Rams went all-in on getting themselves that Super Bowl. And they did, bless their hearts, they got it. But what the hell are they going to do? Like, how bad are they going to be? .. They are going to be dreadful."
on the latest episode of #TheRightTime, i talk about the rams fire sale.
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The Rams have already lost several of the key pieces that contributed to their Super Bowl victory. Jalen Ramsey, Von Miller, Robert Woods, and Andrew Whitworth are among the most notable.
Matthew Stafford could potentially be the next and arguably the biggest. He is rumored to be on the trade block, while a serious neck injury could also threaten his future.
Who will replace Matthew Stafford if he isn't the Rams' starter in 2023?
The Rams' options for a starting quarterback may be a bit limited for the 2023 NFL season if Matthew Stafford is unable to be their starter for any reason. They won't have a first-round pick in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft. Also, most of the top veteran free agents, including Jimmy Garoppolo and Derek Carr, are already committed to other teams.
Baker Mayfield slots in as the most logical solution for the Rams in 2023. He did a relatively solid job filling in for Stafford last year, throwing four touchdowns and two interceptions in four starts. He's currently a free agent, but it makes sense for the Rams to bring him back, either as a starter or Stafford's backup and potential replacement.