Matthew Stafford 2.0? Why Ron Rivera Wants To Copy Rams Blueprint In Washington

Following their Super Bowl win, it seems other teams around the NFL want to copy the Rams blueprint

INDIANAPOLIS -- Washington Commanders' head coach Ron Rivera answered several questions Tuesday afternoon at the NFL scouting combine about the status of his quarterback room, but one thought stood out above the rest.

He entertained inquiries about how Washington intends to solve its quarterback situation in the offseason. Instead of suggesting that they would go one designed path, he simply hinted that Washington plans to be aggressive.

How aggressive? Try Matthew Stafford 2.0 if it solves the questions under center for years to come.

Matthew Stafford

Matthew Stafford

Matthew Stafford

"There's an old saying: 'What are you willing to pay for that Major League Baseball card?'" Rivera said. "Whatever you pay, that's what you think the value is.

"Does anybody really care what was traded for Matthew Stafford last year? Nope."

Stafford spent his first 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions before being traded to the Rams for Jared Goff, two first-round picks and a third-round pick. 

And Thanks to that aggression on the trade market, the Rams won their first Super Bowl since 1999. 

In L.A. Stafford has flourished individually as well, completing 67 percent of his passes for 4,886 yards and 41 touchdowns in 2021 -- his highest combined totals since 2011, when he threw for more than 5,000 yards and 41 scores.

While there isn't always going to be a quarterback of Stafford's caliber on the market for trade, there are at least two available that Washington could pursue right now, in Green Bay's Aaron Rogers, Seattle's Russell Wilson and Houston's Deshaun Watson. 

Los Angeles also mortgaged their future to earn that Super Bowl win, however, and as a result, will not have a pick within the first two rounds of the upcoming NFL Draft. 

Matthew Stafford

Matthew Stafford

Matthew Stafford

This is where the issue in copying the Rams blueprint lies for the Commanders.

Washington's roster does not have the same type of talent as Los Angeles, which was, for all intents and purposes, one piece away from a championship roster.

In fact, it's not close. The Rams were much farther along than Washington currently is personnel-wise, to the point where players such as Odell Beckham Jr. were taking pay cuts just to join Stafford in L.A.

Meaning if it wants to copy the Rams blueprint, it will have much more work to do in the coming months.

On the other hand, the Rams look to be bringing back largely the same roster from their Super Bowl run, meaning they could be poised to repeat in 2022, while Washington could still be playing catch up.

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