The Los Angeles Rams are getting closer to a new era. After Cooper Kupp made their intent to trade him public, Matthew Stafford’s tenure with the Rams appeared to be on the ropes after comments made by his wife, Kelly. While we haven’t heard much about Kupp, Stafford’s future has been a hot topic at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis with several teams reportedly interested in the 37-year-old’s services.
Some of the teams could be obvious as teams like the New York Giants need an NFL-ready quarterback in a draft and free agent class that doesn’t have many options. But with any deal, a mystery team is bound to emerge. On Wednesday, the mystery team for Stafford may have popped out of nowhere and it could give the former Super Bowl champion a new home in 2025.
Raiders Emerge As Surprise Suitor to Trade For Matthew Stafford
Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports reported on Wednesday that the Las Vegas Raiders are the latest team to enter the Stafford sweepstakes. According to a post on his X account, Schultz says Raiders minority owner Tom Brady recently hosted Stafford at his home in Montana and went skiing and has been “actively trying to convince Stafford to join the Raiders.
Schultz later labeled the Raiders as “the most aggressive suitor” to trade for Stafford and even doubled down as some fans dismissed the report as two prominent NFL figures going on a ski trip.
“If you really think Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford just happened to run into each other at a ski resort in Montana – of all places – at the exact same time, I’ve got a bridge to sell you. They were together over the weekend – it happened. Multiple teams are interested in Stafford, and Brady has been leading the charge to get him to the Raiders if the Rams decide to trade him.”
If you really think Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford just happened to run into each other at a ski resort in Montana — of all places — at the exact same time, I’ve got a bridge to sell you.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) February 26, 2025
They were together over the weekend —it happened. Multiple teams are interested in… https://t.co/5UiU4lVoal
The relationship between the Rams and Stafford has reportedly soured over his contract situation. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported last week that Stafford feels that the four-year, $160 million contract extension he signed in 2022 is outdated due to the exploding quarterback market and the two sides reached a temporary agreement by pushing his 2025 bonus money ahead to 2024.
While it provided a bridge for last season, the contract is now a year-to-year situation and the Rams gave Stafford and his agent permission to seek a trade – and a potential contract – to gauge the market.
There are several teams that should be interested in Stafford but the Raiders are one that makes sense. Las Vegas is coming off a 4-13 season but they have $99.5 million in cap space to load up the roster for next season. The Raiders also hired 73-year-old Pete Carroll as their head coach, who likely isn’t interested in the long-term plan of developing a rookie quarterback.
It’s unknown how many years Stafford has left in his career but he could help the Raiders compete next year. If it fails, the Raiders could be in position to select a quarterback in the 2026 draft class that is projected to include Texas’s Arch Manning and Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava.
It’s still not a given that Stafford’s time with the Rams have come to an end. But based on Schultz’s report, they definitely have a suitor.