It's looking more likely by the day that the Los Angeles Rams and Matthew Stafford may be parting ways this season. That's good news for the rest of the division, and great news for the Seattle Seahawks.
It isn't every day that a division winner decides to move on from their starting quarterback. Yet that is exactly what the Los Angeles Rams are prepared to do. Stafford asked for permission to pursue a trade and the Rams said, go for it. I'm sure it was phrased in more formal legalese than that, but you get the point.
Naturally, the impact of the trade on the Seahawks depends on what the Rams get in return. If Los Angeles somehow accepts something like one of those awful ideas that are floated for a trade for DK Metcalf, then yes, the Hawks come out miles ahead. Regardless, it would be nice to get number 9 out of the NFC West.
Seahawks could take another big step forward with the Rams resetting their offense
So why are the Rams willing to let Stafford walk? It's reported they have at least $50 million reasons. According to Good Morning Football's Matt Schrager, that's the minimum contract Stafford is willing to accept for 2025.
My latest insights on Stafford and the Rams. pic.twitter.com/mHNebdmCkY
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) February 24, 2025
The Rams simply aren't willing to pay that much. That doesn't mean other teams aren't quite so shy about making that deal. According to cbssports.com, at least four teams have made it clear that they'd welcome the former Super Bowl champ. The Rams seem to be more aware than some teams that the title win came after the 2021 season and that Stafford is now 37 years old.
As for the Seahawks, Stafford has been a pain for them. While the failure to dispatch their division rivals has more often been because of the L.A. defense, Stafford is 6-3 versus Seattle all time. Our sister site for the Steelers, Still Curtain, believes that a proposed deal between Pittsburgh and Los Angeles would be approved.
I certainly wouldn't break out into song to celebrate the Rams getting another first-round pick - and trust me, you wouldn't celebrate hearing that. But with the Steelers drafting 21st, three spots after the Seahawks, it's not very likely the Rams could draft Stafford's replacement there. And whoever they draft, Seattle would have a shot at them first.
Los Angeles does need help on the offensive line, so there is a pretty good chance they'd use that 21st pick on a player like Kelvin Banks Jr. or Will Campbell, two of the consensus top O-linemen in the draft. You know, someone John Schneider would never take in the first round. Oh well, there are always other ways to get O-linemen.
No matter where Stafford goes, it's only good news for the Seahawks. Along with the news that the Rams are pursuing trade partners for Cooper Kupp, it's another sign that they know their window to the division title is rapidly closing. We can only assume the Niners will be more healthy, but they have several issues of their own to address. It's time for the Seahawks to step into the void.
More Seahawks news and analysis:
manual