Matthew Stafford has been doing this for a long time.
He hasn't shown many signs of slowing down, either. The Rams quarterback still has a howitzer of a right arm and a brilliant football mind.
Eventually, though, Los Angeles will need a new QB.
Stafford, 37, could get the chance to mentor his eventual heir.
That's what ESPN's Jordan Reid predicts in his early 2026 NFL mock draft.
He has the Rams trading up with the Panthers to pick No. 7 in 2026.
And in that spot, they take Garrett Nussmeier out of LSU.
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"Here's Matthew Stafford's heir apparent," Reid writes. "Stafford will turn 38 before the 2026 season, so this is a great spot for the Rams to pick Nussmeier, whose 79.1 QBR ranked 11th in the FBS in 2024. Nussmeier's arm is more flexible than powerful, and his anticipation skills result in some of the most exciting throws I've seen on tape. Interceptions are an issue -- he threw multiple picks in four games last season -- but he could be a first-round pick if he cleans those up."
Nussmeier has been floated by some as an early possibility for the No. 1 overall pick.
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If he ends up lasting to the Rams in this spot, it'd be a great get.
Stafford could stick around for at least another year to teach Nussmeier, and then the handoff of power could happen to keep the Rams on a positive quarterback path.
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