New York Giants players like star wide receiver Malik Nabers have made it clear that they want Matthew Stafford at quarterback in 2025, fans have made it clear that they want Matthew Stafford, and some inside the NFL community have even claimed that general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll want Matthew Stafford.
But there was one cautionary voice on February 18, as New York Post reporter Ryan Dunleavy sent the Giants and their fans a very public warning about the potentially available Los Angeles Rams QB.
“A smart person told me this in 2023… Why are the [Green Bay] Packers — who know best what Aaron Rodgers is and what he has left — so willing to get rid of him when they are close to a Super Bowl?” Dunleavy recalled on X, adding that it turned out Jordan Love being really “good” was part of the reason.
Still, the NYC beat reporter admitted that the Rodgers conversation is “in my head now” considering how poorly things worked out for the New York Jets.
“Why are [the] Rams (supposedly) willing to move on from Matthew Stafford when they were one drive from beating Super Bowl champs in playoffs?” Dunleavy continued, questioning: “Should [the] Giants be suspect? [The Rams] don’t even have their [Jordan] Love waiting in wings.”
NFL Insider Adam Schefter Identifies Aaron Rodgers as Potential Matthew Stafford Replacement IF Rams Move On in 2025
To Dunleavy’s point, the Rams giving up on Stafford over a contract adjustment would be a curious decision — being that their next best quarterback behind him in 2024 was Jimmy Garoppolo, who just so happens to be a free agent this spring.
That leaves LAR with third-year draft pick Stetson Bennett and not much else on the roster, should they move on from the veteran starter.
So, who would the Rams turn to if they decided to trade Stafford? ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter actually connected Rodgers to Los Angeles on February 18, but only in the event that Stafford leaves.
How what happens between Matthew Stafford and the Rams could impact Aaron Rodgers and his future:
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“If, if — If the Rams couldn’t get a deal done with Stafford. If they decided to trade him. A lot of ‘ifs’ involved. Then Aaron Rodgers, in my mind, would be thrilled with the idea of going to Los Angeles,” Schefter stated.
The long-time insider also noted that the Rams could likely get Rodgers at a much “lower cost” than Stafford, making the ex-Packers and Jets signal-caller more “desirable” at age 41. Especially when you factor in whatever trade compensation a team like the Giants would be willing to pay for the veteran gunslinger.
Earlier in the clip, Schefter did make it clear that as of February 18, he still believes that Stafford and the Rams both want the QB’s career to close out in Los Angeles.
New York Post Colleague Argues Matthew Stafford Is Giants’ ‘Best Option’ in 2025
Given president and CEO John Mara’s win-now edict in 2025, Dunleavy’s New York Post colleague Jared Schwartz argued that Stafford is the Giants’ “best option” at quarterback on February 18.
“Yes, there are red flags to be wary of. Yes, there should be skepticism if a good team is willingly getting rid of a player,” Schwartz began. “But considering the alternatives, Matthew Stafford is the best option for the Giants at quarterback. If the Rams truly do want to trade him, the Giants should be all over it.”
Schwartz went on to highlight all the typical concerns of this year’s weak free agency and draft class at quarterback.
Voicing that “by most metrics, Stafford ranked around the middle of all starting quarterbacks” in 2024. That led him to deduce that “after getting some of the worst quarterback production in the league, [Stafford’s average play] would represent a dramatic improvement” for the Giants at QB.
