As the Los Angeles Rams found out wide receiver Puka Nacua would be out at least four weeks and likely headed to injured reserve, their injury-riddled season somehow got worse. Just as the Rams got Myles Garrett back and won their third consecutive game to improve to 5-4, they lost Puka Nacua for at least a month. 

The Rams have simply been unable to catch a break when it comes to injuries. It’s been one after another, and just as they get one player back, another gets hurt. It’s been one step forward and two steps back all season. 

With Nacua on injured reserve, it seems more likely that the Rams miss the playoffs than make them. They have a grueling part of the schedule coming up with the Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, and San Francisco 49ers all back-to-back. If the Rams lose to the Packers and 49ers, they can essentially say goodbye to any playoff chance they had. 

Despite the Rams facing a potentially lost season, it’s unlikely they become “sellers” at the trade deadline. Still, that won’t stop any potential speculation. On Monday night, following the Minnesota Vikings' loss to the Buffalo Bills, some started floating around the idea of the Rams trading Stafford.

Why Matthew Stafford Makes Sense for the Vikings

Stafford to the Vikings certainly makes sense. The Vikings have a Super Bowl caliber defense and Stafford has a history with Kevin O’Connell. He’d fit in seamlessly in that offense and has a history playing in the NFC North. 

Following the Vikings’ loss to the Bills, it’s clear they have a need at quarterback. Kyler Murray hasn’t been the answer at quarterback before his injury. He currently ranks 26th in EPA per play. On Monday night, Carson Wentz was 8-for-25 for 81 yards and two interceptions. It’s hard for the Vikings to justify having a defense playing as well as theirs has and sticking to the status quo at quarterback.

Rams Aren't Ready For Ty Simpson to Take Over for Matthew Stafford

At the same time, it’s hard to see how it makes sense from the Rams’ perspective. It’s true that they drafted Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick, but he was always selected with the idea that he would sit and learn behind Stafford for at least a year, if not two. 

Additionally, that would put the Rams in a tough spot with Stetson Bennett. The Rams held a quarterback competition in the summer between Simpson and Bennett. While both were pretty even in the preseason, the Rams listed Bennett as the backup quarterback. It would send a bad message to the locker room and Bennett if the Rams leapfrogged Bennett and elevated Simpson to the starting quarterback role after he’s been the emergency third-string quarterback all season.

The Rams have a development plan in place for Simpson, and that plan never included him starting as a rookie. In the current offense with both Nacua and Adams out, the Rams would essentially be setting him up to fail. Matthew Stafford has struggled enough as is. 

Trading Matthew Stafford Would Send the Wrong Message

That's a much different spot than if the Las Vegas Raiders were to trade Kirk Cousins. The Raiders have lost five of their last six games and were just happy to be competing. If they can get something for Cousins, it makes sense to move on to Fernando Mendoza.

While the playoffs may seem like a long shot right now, the Rams are 5-4. By trading Stafford, the Rams would be signaling that they are giving up on the season despite being above .500. That’s difficult to justify for a team that may believe it can stay alive through December and came into the season with Super Bowl aspirations. How do you explain that to Aaron Donald, who came out of retirement for this roster?

It may be tempting for the Rams if the Vikings were to offer at least one first-round pick in return. Still, that first-round pick likely ends up in the 20s, and the Rams are a team with good, young talent and the cap space to bring a lot of pieces back. The 2026 season is by no means the end of their window. 

There’s a reason why the Rams have sacrificed picks in 2027 and not as many in 2028. The Rams have little incentive to move Stafford unless they're getting significant value back. Even then, Stafford may not want to move. If Stafford ends his career, it feels like he’d want to do it in Los Angeles despite trade rumors two years ago during contract negotiations. 

The Rams have never been a team to give up on a season under Sean McVay, and it's hard to imagine that changing now. Trading Stafford to the Vikings may be fun to think about in theory, but making that move now would be a premature decision that could do more harm than good for both the current roster and Simpson’s development.