Former Detroit Lions quarterback and current Los Angeles Rams starter Matthew Stafford may soon be replaced by a rookie, according to the latest projections.

Stafford adjusted his contract with Los Angeles in March, after briefly exploring options outside of the Rams’ organization. Now, Over the Cap has released full details of the revised agreement, which includes $40 million in fully guaranteed money and gives Stafford a $17 million increase in salary.

This represents a shift, because early reports from Over the Cap suggested the Rams would save $8.7 million in 2025 cap space, lowering Stafford’s cap hit from $49.67 million to $40.97 million. However, current figures list his 2025 cap charge at $47.47 million — only a $2.2 million savings.

Stafford’s deal isn’t a long-term solution, and several NFL analysts believe the Rams will target a new quarterback in 2026, especially since they hold two first-round selections in that draft.

It might feel early to speculate on the 2026 draft, but ESPN’s Jordan Reid has already made a prediction. Reid projects that LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier could be Stafford’s replacement, and the Rams might even move up to select him.

Nussmeier ranks as one of the top quarterback prospects for 2026, alongside Arch Manning of Texas and LaNorris Sellers of South Carolina. Of course, plenty will change once the college season gets going, but as of now, this choice makes sense.

“This could be Stafford’s successor. He’ll be 38 by 2026, and Nussmeier is a great fit,” Reid wrote. “His 79.1 QBR ranked 11th in FBS last season. His arm is more elastic than strong, and his anticipation leads to highlight throws. Turnovers are a concern — he had multiple-pick games four times — but if he fixes that, he’s a first-round talent.”

Another indication the Rams might draft a quarterback in 2026 is that they didn’t take one in 2025. This year’s QB class wasn’t deep, so it wasn’t surprising, but it supports the idea of going big for one next year.

Yahoo Sports’ Nate Tice and Charles McDonald praised the Rams’ draft haul, awarding the team an “A” for their efforts.

“Swapping the 26th overall pick for the Falcons’ 2026 first-rounder was a home run,” the duo said in their April 28 article. “Taking Terrance Ferguson in Round 2 was a great way to begin, giving Stafford a tight end with real playmaking upside.”

They continued, “The Rams added solid edge depth with Josaiah Stewart, who complements their young pass-rushing group well. Overall, it was a fresh draft strategy that gives them serious capital for the 2026 NFL Draft.”