Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images

Rams Linked With Major 2026 Draft Prospect – Is the Matthew Stafford Succession Already in the Works?

All eyes on Arch Manning and his decision ahead of the 2026 draft

Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images

Perhaps it is still too soon to start writing off the 37-year-old Matthew Stafford as the Los Angeles Rams’ starting quarterback. After all, he did just lead them to the postseason at the start of the year.

That said, at this point in his career, there is always going to be a certain amount of concern with regard to his health. The aging quarterback was not seen working with the team or on the side on Wednesday, just the second day of training camp. Apparently, the Rams have decided to rest Stafford due to back soreness.

"You have to hold him back…"

Rams HC Sean McVay says even in year 17, Matthew Stafford ALWAYS wants to be out there with his team 💪@heykayadams | #RamsHouse @RamsNFL pic.twitter.com/NGJn73na0i
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) July 24, 2025

All that is to say is that Stafford’s days in L.A. could be numbered, and if the latest report from a senior draft insider is to be believed, the Rams have already started preparing for this eventuality and have an eye out on the future.

Rams Rumored Succession Plans for Stafford

The 2026 NFL draft could possibly see the Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning enter the draft. If Manning has a terrific year leading the Longhorns, and if he feels he is ready for the next step, he could potentially go as the number one overall pick.

In reference to Colin Cowherd of ‘The Herd’ speculating that the Browns could be monitoring the citation for Manning, veteran NFL Draft insider Todd McShay responded by saying that there is another team in the 2026 NFL draft with two picks in the first round.

“Not refuting this as a ‘worst-kept secret.’ But it’s not the only situation to monitor. There’s another team with two first round picks in ‘26 whose GM’s son is a close friend to Arch at Texas. And the HC has a pretty good history with QBs. Just sayin…”

This, of course, is an indirect hint toward the Rams as Tate Harver, who is the stepson of the Rams’ general manager, Les Snead, is actually a great friend and teammate with Manning in Texas.

𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗦: The Rams reportedly have Arch Manning as their clear QB1 and view him as a succession plan post-Matthew Stafford, according to @CharlesRobinson

A source also says they’d still pursue manning even if Stafford continues playing in 2026. pic.twitter.com/Ry73auwOzI
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) July 24, 2025

More than that, Snead was also seen in conversation with Manning during Texas’ Pro Day ahead of the 2025 NFL draft. Additionally, reports also indicate that the Rams see Manning as the only tier 1 quarterback to come out of the 2026 draft if he declares before his senior year. Manning’s overall size and athleticism are in line with what the Rams feel is a prototypical quarterback.

For now, though, it is still too soon to speculate on how all of this will play out. Both college football and the NFL have a full season ahead, and the performances of both signal callers could still play a key role in what the future holds.

Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images

Arch Manning

Los Angeles Rams

Matthew Stafford

NFL

Devavrat Kulkarni

nfl

I am a content writer for the NFL team, and joined The Playoffs after working with Sportskeeda and NFL Analysis as an NFL writer. After starting my professional career as a French-to-English translator, working as a content writer is a new adventure for me. I started out in the sports media field for two main reasons: my love for sports in general, especially the NFL, NBA, and Tennis, as well as my passion for writing. The best part of this job is that I get to write a variety of pieces with the freedom to explore content from various angles. It also enables me to stay up to date with the sporting world, which otherwise can be difficult to do in the day-to-day grind. In a world full of chaos, sports unite and entertain like nothing else!