Matthew Stafford just won MVP and the Rams still act like he is the guy because he is. But the second you hear real talk about upgrading the backup this early you can tell this is not just about depth. It is about fear. The Rams know how fast things can fall apart when a 38 year old quarterback takes one bad hit.
Rams were linked to Davis Mills to be the backup quarterback for Matthew Stafford (Rumors)
The Davis Mills idea is being sold as smart backup help. Trade for a quarterback who has started before. Make the room feel safer. Sleep better at night. But the clip also shows what the Rams do not want to say clearly. Their current backup options do not make people feel good if Stafford misses real time. And mostly healthy does not mean safe when a player has that much wear on his body.
That is why people react so hard to a story that should sound boring. Backup quarterback talk is usually easy to ignore until it shows what a team really thinks about itself. Fans hear Davis Mills and understand the message right away. Teams do not talk like this unless they fear the season could fall apart fast. Once that idea gets in your head every hit on Stafford starts to feel scary.
There is also a big segment that shows Staffords back as the biggest weak spot in the Rams plan.
Adam Schefter is skeptical of Matthew Stafford’s injury return | NFL Live
Here is the hard truth smart teams understand. Good teams plan for decline before fans want to hear about it. The Heavy story even points to Staffords recent back worries and the fact that Los Angeles still needs a real Plan B. That could mean bringing Jimmy Garoppolo back since McVay said he would absolutely want him back. Or it could mean looking at a trade like Davis Mills. When a contender starts shopping for insurance it is not just smart planning. It is also a quiet sign of how fragile the whole plan really is.