Sean McVay details plan to add insurance behind Matthew Stafford without breaking the bank
The Los Angeles Rams have plans to add an experienced arm behind Matthew Stafford, just in case.
Ever since free agency began, the discussion surrounding the backup quarterback position for the Los Angeles Rams has been a fruitful one. With the departure of Jimmy Garoppolo, that currently only leaves Stetson Bennett as the only non-Stafford quarterback on the roster, something that I would not be comfortable with, and it sounds like the Rams aren’t either.
At the owner’s meetings in Arizona, Rams head coach Sean McVay outright admitted the Rams’ plans to address their backup quarterback position. McVay admitted the team has had discussions to bring Jimmy Garoppolo back in free agency, but have also discussed adding former Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins to the roster as well.
A Kirk Cousins reunion makes all the sense in the world for the Los Angeles Rams
I have a feeling if Jimmy Garoppolo wanted to be back with the Rams, that deal would have been reached by now. I am vastly more interested in a potential reunion for Kirk Cousins with Sean McVay.
McVay played a critical part in the development of Kirk Cousins as a quarterback. In Washington, McVay’s rise as offensive coordinator dovetailed with Cousins’ development, and the pair combined for two strong seasons in 2015 and 2016 before McVay was hired by the Rams. Cousins has produced for McVay prodigies in Kevin O’Connell and Zac Robinson as well.
The Los Angeles Rams need an experience backup to keep the ship afloat in case Stafford misses time with an injury. They have pushed all the chips in for this 2026 season, and any deviations to that could be disastrous. While producing at Stafford’s level would likely be impossible, a veteran like Cousins could keep the offense from imploding and play at a relatively high level for a backup.
Additionally, Cousins is still being paid by the Falcons. Because of his high guarantees from Atlanta, Cousins could sign for the veteran minimum salary of right around $1.3 million, making him possibly the cheapest addition the Rams could add.
For the potential payoff, this would be worth it. Even if Cousins never starts a game, having that reassurance and peace of mind that the whole ship wouldn’t fall apart would easily be worth the minimum salary-and then some. This should be a no-brainer, but I have a feeling both Cousins and Garoppolo will play the long game to see if a starting opportunity comes available.
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