The Los Angeles Rams have made something of a habit out of resurrecting quarterback careers. Baker Mayfield, Carson Wentz, and Jimmy Garoppolo each arrived in LA with more questions than answers-and each left with their reputations at least partially restored.
That kind of track record doesn’t happen by accident. It’s a credit to the Rams’ system, their coaching staff, and the culture they’ve built around Sean McVay and GM Les Snead.
So as the Rams look toward life after Matthew Stafford, it’s fair to ask: does the next guy have to come from the draft?
Maybe not.
Because if the Rams are looking for a high-upside reclamation project, one name stands out: Anthony Richardson.
Yes, that Anthony Richardson-the 6-foot-4, 244-pound quarterback who once looked like the future of the Indianapolis Colts. He entered the league with sky-high expectations and rare physical tools.
But a rocky start, a system that may not have suited his strengths, and a premature push into the starting role left him floundering. Now, he’s been leapfrogged by Daniel Jones and finds himself stuck on the bench, trying to rediscover the spark that once made him a top prospect.
Sound familiar? It should. It’s the same story we’ve seen with Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones-quarterbacks with talent who were thrown into the fire too soon, in the wrong environment, and left to pick up the pieces.
But in Los Angeles, the Rams have shown they know how to put those pieces back together.
The idea of Richardson landing in LA might not be the flashiest move on paper, but it could be the kind of low-risk, high-reward swing that Snead has become known for. If the Colts do end up parting ways with Richardson-rumors of a potential release have been swirling for nearly a year-then the Rams should be on the phone immediately.
What’s the downside? A roster spot and a paycheck.
What’s the upside? A quarterback with elite physical traits learning behind a Super Bowl-winning veteran in Stafford, in a quarterback-friendly system that has shown time and again it can get the most out of its signal-callers.
And here’s something else to consider: Richardson has reportedly expressed interest in playing in Los Angeles. That matters.
Motivation matters. Fit matters.
And if a young quarterback wants to be part of what the Rams are building, that’s a head start most teams would love to have.
Let’s be clear-there are no guarantees here. Richardson still needs to develop, to grow, to learn how to read defenses and make consistent throws from the pocket.
But he’s only 24. The physical gifts haven’t gone anywhere.
What he needs is time, stability, and a coaching staff that knows how to bring out the best in him.
The Rams can give him all three.
Stafford won’t play forever. Whether it’s 2026 or beyond, LA needs to start thinking seriously about what comes next.
And while the draft is always an option, the Rams have shown they’re willing to zag when others zig. They’ve made a habit of finding value in places other teams overlook.
Anthony Richardson might be the next example.
And if he is? If the Rams can unlock the potential that made Richardson such a tantalizing prospect in the first place?
They won’t just have found a successor to Stafford. They might have found their quarterback of the next decade.
That’s the kind of bet worth making.