The most stable quarterback situation in the NFC West belongs to the Seattle Seahawks, with Sam Darnold leading out front. Stability, in this case, means more in the future; Darnold has proved he deserves a shot with a several-year leash, considering what the Seahawks have so far accomplished with him under center.
For the San Francisco 49ers, Brock Purdy is more of a wild card at this stage in his career. He's been excellent; he's also been the opposite, with injuries getting to him in the middle. It's hard to argue in favor of Purdy having secured the 49ers' quarterback job for the long term, and the upcoming season will say a lot in that regard.
What can be argued favorably is that neither Darnold nor Purdy is Matthew Stafford, who's going into his sixth season with the Los Angeles Rams. Even at 38, Stafford is one of the best quarterbacks across the NFL; he surely remains the best in his division. The Seahawks have to contend with Stafford for now, but what he said recently could lengthen that contention longer than expected.
The Seattle Seahawks' could be in for a rough ride if Matthew Stafford staves off retirement
Hardly anyone was expecting Stafford to put together the kind of year he did after his back issues came up last offseason, shortly before the regular season began. Stafford's incredible campaign surprised many, as did Darnold's, who faced plenty of questions after his one season in Minnesota, only to answer most of them a year later.
Darnold and Stafford each had solid seasons, and for Stafford, it was one of his very best, earning him his first league MVP award. Retirement was certainly in the conversation last season, and it was again after the Rams lost to the Seahawks in the NFC Championship game.
Let's be honest, even though the Seahawks overcame the Rams last season, Stafford under center still presents too many problems.
Problems that, if suddenly gone, would make life in the NFC West more livable. For those problems to go away, Stafford would have to call it. If Seahawks fans were expecting this to happen this offseason or, at the very least, next season, what Stafford said recently during an interview with former Rams defensive end Chris Long should bring some nervousness to the table.
“I think one of the things that surprised me is, I was talking to Drew [Brees]—this was before last season—and he was like, ‘How old are you, again?’ I was like, ‘I’m 37,’” Stafford said. “He’s like, ‘You might have your best five years of your career coming up.’ And I was like, ‘Huh. I never really thought about it that way.’
“When I was getting traded to LA, just having those initial conversations with Sean [McVay] and it was like, you know, I don’t know. I think maybe three, three or four more max left feels right. “Then now it’s like, I don’t know, maybe I’ll just keep rolling. My girls love watching me play and uhhh, might as well.”
It's hard to imagine Stafford playing for another four or five years. It's hard to imagine another three years, even. Judging by what the veteran was able to do last season, if his back is up for the task, the Seahawks might have to game-plan for Stafford for two more years.
The Rams have leapfrogged the Seahawks as favorites to win the division and the Super Bowl next season. If Stafford has another MVP-like season, those chances are certainly realistic. As long as Stafford is playing quarterback for the Rams, the Seahawks will never be clear-cut favorites.
The clock is ticking on Stafford's career, but if his comments on continuing to play come to fruition, all Seahawks fans can do is sit back and watch the hands tick.
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