5 backup QB options that the Rams may add before the 2025 NFL Draft

Lyrics to past pop hits may not be the first thing you think of when you consider the whirlwind of NFL rumors the LA Rams face. But if you think about it, the lyrics to the smashing pop hit by the Beatles entitled Let It Be fit the bill. Written by Paul McCartney and released in early 1970, it is the musical version of the serenity prayer, opening with the following lines

“When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, Let it be.

And in my hour of darkness, She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, Let it be.

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, Let it be.”
By Paul McCartney

Times of trouble certainly sound like the reality facing fans right now with an imminent trade of veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp hanging in the balance. And the knowledge that the team may had to come to grips with a future without veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford now or later certainly checks all of the boxes to an hour of darkness. Still, it’s not what you face that defines your character, but rather how you deal with it.

Every NFL team faces some level of change during the offseason, and some level of adversity during the season. In the offseason, it’s about expiring contracts, retirements, and trades. During the season, it’s injuries, competition, and missed opportunities. So the LA Rams nor Rams fans should expect to be immune to the same challenges that face all 31 other NFL teams.

It comes down to how do teams address those challenges? For the San Francisco 49ers after starting QB Jimmy Garoppolo, they hit the jackpot by finding an NFL starting quarterback in Round 7 of the 2022 NFL Draft. For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they signed former Rams backup quarterback Baker Mayfield after Tom Brady retired. For the LA Rams, that next chapter is yet to be written.

But that next chapter, whether in 2025, 2026, or 2027, needn’t be viewed as Armageddon.

When the Rams All-Pro DT Aaron Donald retired after the 2023 NFL season, the team rebounded rather quickly. Rams GM Les Snead accomplished that by now waiting around for Donald to be gone. The team used two Round 3 picks in the 2023 NFL Draft to add Tennessee OLB Byron Young and Wake Forest DT Kobie Turner.

Of course, many fans quickly wax incensed at the discussions over how the Rams’ future may, and may not, take shape right now. But the discussion should not be an impediment. It’s what the team decides to do that is truly the trigger of negative emotions. Think of a trade or retirement of Stafford as falling off a cliff. Then any discussion about how the team might prepare for the inevitable outcome is simply a donkey trail down the side of the mountain.

(5) – QB Zach Wilson

The name of Zach Wilson has come up before. But at the time, he was under contract with the New York Jets, and former Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur was fired, in part, because he was unable to unlock Zach Wilson’s NFL potential. But what a difference a year makes, right?

Wilson was traded by the Jets to the Denver Broncos, who promptly sat him on the bench in favor of rookie QB Bo Nix. Now, one year later and on an expired contract, Wilson is at the cusp of entering the 2025 NFL Free Agency market. With a weak quarterback class expected from this year’s class, Wilson may be in line to compete for a starting job. The thing is, should he?

While it’s every quarterback’s goal to start in the NFL, Zach Wilson has not thrown a pass since 2023. Even then, he struggled mightily for the New York Jets, and his reputation has been severely tarnished. In many way, he is an ideal candidate to have his NFL reputation restored by spending a year (or two) as a backup quarterback for the LA Rams. While he may not have done much for Mike LaFleur’s career in New York, coaching him up with the Rams will fall to other coaches.

It could make some sense, but is not necessarily going to happen.

(4) – QB Trey Lance

Another young quarterback who is hitting rock bottom in terms of his NFL reputation right now is former San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys QB Trey Lance. Lance was originally drafted by the 49ers with the third overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, but he has struggled to earn a chance to play in the NFL since then. After three years in the NFL, he has thrown for a 56.6 percent completion rate, while tossing for 1,063 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions.

He did manage to hurl a 76-yard completion, so arm strength is not a factor.

Lance is still riding off his draft profile, and the fact that he was the third player chosen in the 2021 NFL Draft. He has not shown up well on a professional football field, which is why he could find a backup role on the Rams roster as the perfect opportunity to salvage his long-term NFL career.

Just as Baker Mayfield, a stint with the Rams restores both passion and confidence to a young quarterback. Both are vital to finding success in the NFL. Much like Zach Wilson, the lack of talent in the 2025 NFL Draft quarterback class could prompt an NFL team to give Trey Lance another shot at a starting role. But like Zach Wilson, the better strategy would be to back up Matthew Stafford in 2025, and set himself up for a strong shot at starting in 2026. It’s unlikely, but a better long-term plan.

(3) – QB Joe Milton

Strong-armed young quarterback Joe Milton is rumored to be available via trade. While I’m not normally big on trading for a young quarterback whose true potential has yet to be realized, there are elements about this New England Patriots quarterback that could prove quite tempting. For openers, Milton is a skyscraper in the pocket, standing 6-foot-5 and tipping the scales at 246 pounds. He has the size to make him a believable NFL starting quarterback.

He played one game for the Patriots in his rookie season, a Week 18 contest against the Buffalo Bills. He impressed in that game, completing 75.9 percent of his passes for 241 yards and one touchdown. While he did not face the first-string Bills in that contest, it was enough to flash hints of how he may develop as his NFL career progresses.

And the Draft Network’s Justin Melo views the Rams as one of the most likely landing spots for Milton if he is traded. Here’s why it makes some sense:

The Patriots invested a Round 6 draft pick for Milton, and the Rams could pry him away from the Patriots with a Day 3 pick. The greatest risk for any young rookie quarterback is connecting all of the dots in the NFL, and Joe Milton has accomplished that. Now he is ready to perfect his craft and elevate his game to earn playing time. I think he can excel at that on the Rams roster.

(2) QB Daniel Jones

The Minnesota Vikings signed castaway quarterback Daniel Jones after he was released outright by the New York Giants, and his presence on the Vikings roster occurred far too late in the season to allow for any hope of competing for any type of role in that offense. But with the quarterback carousel getting in gear, the likelihood of Jones earning a significant role with the Minnesota Vikings in 2025 has increased dramatically.

Still, if he is not satisfied with the contract offer extended by the Vikings, he may be open to offers from other NFL teams. One such team that could be in the mix is the Los Angeles Rams:

Jones is a 28-year-old quarterback who has started 69 NFL games. He has thrown for 14,582 yards, 70 touchdowns and 47 interceptions, while completing 64.1 percent of his passes. He has engineered seven fourth-quarter comebacks, as well as nine game-winning drives. Like every other quarterback listed so far, his reputation has taken a bit of a beating. Should he choose to stay with the Minnesota Vikings, he will almost certainly play second fiddle to young quarterback J.J. McCarthy. If he jumps ship to the Rams, he could be the successor to Matthew Stafford.

(1) QB Jimmy Garoppolo

The proof is in the pudding with veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Every other quarterback on this list is a speculative projection of how they may perform in the Rams offense. With Jimmy Garoppolo, everyone knows how he had performed on the team. And the overwhelming consensus about his presence in 2024 is that everyone enjoyed working with him and what he brought to the team.

But age is a factor with Garoppolo as well. He trails starting quarterback Matthew Stafford by only four years. Even as the team has shifted to a year-by-year relationship with Stafford to prevent being on the hook if his production suddenly takes a nosedive, the team has be aware that the same thing could happen to Garoppolo as well.

I would love to have Jimmy G back with the Rams. But after the Matthew Stafford saga in the offseason, I view Garoppolo as more of a bandaid than a true QB succession plan, and I believe that the Rams would prefer to get a young quarterback on the roster now to learn from Stafford and be ready to step up as the team’s starting quarterback if and when that day comes.

Jimmy G could still be a backup QB for the team in 2025. But that role is predicated on his willingness to take a team-friendly contract, and knowing that if the Rams land a talented quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft, that he may slide down the depth chart. Will that be enough to entice Garoppolo to come back?