Stafford's New Backup?: Rams Scouting 'Second-Tier' NFL Draft QBs

After quarterback Matthew Stafford's injuries in 2022, the Los Angeles Rams are looking into drafting a new backup.

The Los Angeles Rams discovered the true value of having a backup quarterback they can trust to operate as the starter in case of injury. Thanks to a mix of injuries and poor performances, the Rams played four quarterbacks last season. 

And although their starter, Matthew Stafford, is "feeling good" with no limitations as voluntary workouts are underway, the Rams are looking to add to their quarterback room. 

“We’ve definitely been intentional about the second tier, right, and those players that would probably be beyond the [top] four, even the fifth one now in Tennessee [Hendon Hooker] that’s talked about a lot going early, going before us, things like that,” Rams general manager Les Snead said during Tuesday's predraft press conference. 

Of course, the ideal scenario would have the Rams being able to look at all quarterbacks. But without a first-round pick, it is realistic to turn their attention toward the signal-callers they can get in the later rounds of the Draft. But who could the Rams be looking at as second-tier quarterbacks?

Using the top-15 quarterback rankings from SI Draft Bible, looking at the next five quarterbacks outside of the top five, the Rams could consider Fresno State's Jake Haener, Georgia's Stetson Bennett, Stanford's Tanner McKee, UCLA's Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and Houston's Clayton Tune.

Once Stafford went down with a neck injury that sidelined him for the season, it wasn't until the Rams signed Baker Mayfield that they found some semblance of stability. At the very least, Mayfield kept Los Angeles competitive, which is what the Rams are looking for in any "tier-two" quarterback they draft in the years to come. 

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