Do Rams have succession plan in place for aging players on the roster?

The Los Angeles Rams lost Aaron Donald to retirement this past offseason which will be a huge blow to the defense. With that said, the Rams seemed to find a Donald successor in Kobie Turner last season and also drafted Braden Fiske out of Florida State in the second round.

As it stands, the Rams currently have five players over the age of 30 on what is relatively a pretty young roster. Those players are Matthew Stafford, Rob Havenstein, Jimmy Garoppolo, Cooper Kupp, Darious Williams, and Tyler Higbee. That doesn’t include Demarcus Robinson and Troy Reeder who are set to hit 30 this season.

Stafford, Havenstein, Kupp, Williams and Higbee have been or are important starters at their respecitve positions. While it should be expected that the oldest players on the roster are also key pieces, it’s also worth looking at if the team has a succession plan in place.

QB Matthew Stafford - Age 36

When it comes to aging quarterbacks, especially those of Stafford’s talent, it’s hard to find a balance between having a succession plan and continuing to build a team around them. For example, the Green Bay Packers could have drafted Patrick Queen or Tee Higgins, but instead opted to take a young quarterback in Jordan Love. The New England Patriots didn’t take Jimmy Garoppolo in the first round, but with the 62nd overall pick, they could have added more talent around Tom Brady.

The Rams are currently at that crossroad when it comes to Stafford. Back in April, the intriguing quarterbacks were gone by the time the Rams were on the clock at 19. It will be interesting to see what route they go in 2025. However, as it stands, there really isn’t a succession plan in place for Stafford. With a competitive roster with the hopes of another Super Bowl title, the Rams may opt to continue surrounding Stafford with talent. In a perfect world, the Rams may hope that Stetson Bennett is a long-term backup that can be a bridge for the next franchise guy.

Succession Plan: Still TBD

RT Rob Havenstein - Age 32

Throughout his career, Rob Havenstein has been the epitome of consistency. Even when the Rams offensive line was decimated with injuries in 2022, the lone guy standing from Week 1 remained Havenstein. Havenstein has been with the Rams for so long, he’s the lone player standing as someone who came over from St. Louis.

Elite level tackles have shown that they can play into their mid-late 30s. Lane Johnson is currently 34 and still playing at a high level. Havenstein currently has two years left on his contract with it set to expire after 2025. At that point, the Rams would need to decide whether or not they can bring Havenstein back on a similar level deal. Right now, he is the 15th highest-paid right tackle in AAV which is great value. At the end of the day, the Rams may still need to draft another right tackle as the players behind Havenstein are still unproven. Warren McClendon was drafted in the fifth-round last year and Logan Bruss spent last season on the practice squad.

Succession Plan: Warren McClendon, but likely TBD

QB Jimmy Garoppolo - Age 32

Between Stafford and Garoppolo, the Rams may have one of the oldest quarterback rooms in the NFL. Garoppolo signed a one-year deal in the offseason and while he could be back, the Rams may not necessarily want that to be the case. Garoppolo is a player that knows the McVay/Shanahan system and has shown that he can win games in the NFL. At the same time, he doesn’t give much of a future as either the starting or backup quarterback.

Ideally, Garoppolo is able to take Stetson Bennett under his wing a little bit and help mentor him and what it means to be a backup quarterback. The Rams will hope that they can develop Bennett into what Garoppolo currently gives them and that gives some stability at the position. Throughout the McVay era, the Rams haven’t necessarily had a backup that they could consistently rely on when it matters. They’ll hope that changes with Bennett.

Succession Plan: Stetson Bennett

Darious Williams - Age 31

After going through the hills and valleys of a young secondary last season, the Rams added a familiar face in Darious Williams in free agency. The issue is, Williams is 31 and cornerbacks don’t tend to age well. Last season, there were three outside full-time cornerbacks age 31 or hold. Williams is 31 this year and is on a three-year contract.

The issue here as well is that the Rams didn’t draft a cornerback in April either. The players behind Williams are the same players that they rolled with last season. That was an experiment that didn’t go well. The Rams need to add some top-round talent to the secondary. Williams and Durant are both built similar. Los Angeles will hope that Durant bounces back after a sophomore slump. With that said, it’s also hard to sharpie him in as a future starter on the outside at this time.

Succession Plan: Cobie Durant, but likely TBD

Cooper Kupp - Age 31

The Rams are at a bit of a crossroad with Cooper Kupp this season. Kupp isn’t getting any younger and has missed time with injury each of the last two years. He also has three years left on his contract, but will have an out after this season. Another injury plagued year, and the Rams may be forced to move on. If that is the case, it is worth seeing if they have a succession plan in place.

With Kupp out last season, Puka Nacua seemed to fill that role well. While he ended up doing some of the former Robert Woods things in the offense, he started off doing things similar to Kupp. Nacua is arguably one of the better young receivers in the NFL and is currently the heir-apparent to Kupp.

Succession Plan: Puka Nacua

Tyler Higbee - Age 31

We finally get to a position where the Rams have a fit of succession plan and some youth at the position. That part is important because not only is Higbee 31, but he will be coming off of a serious injury after tearing his ACL in the NFC Wild Card game. Higbee has been a solid tight end for the Rams and he is the most productive tight end in franchise history. However, the story here looks to be nearing a close.

Last year, the Rams drafted Davis Allen who showed moments of upside despite limited opportunity. They also signed Colby Parkinson in free agency who is just 25-years old. With more opportunity, he could find more success in the McVay offense. The Rams seem relatively set at the tight end position for a few years.

Succession Plan: Colby Parkinson

Other Players set to hit 30 this season

• WR Demarcus Robinson
• LB Troy Reeder

Robinson and Reeder are each set to hit 30 this season, but it’s also hard to discuss much of a succession plan with them. Both players are depth pieces and those guys are typically easy to replace and no succession plan is needed. However, when it comes to Robinson, the Rams may hope Jordan Whittington can take that role over as a receiver. That may take some time as he begins on special teams, but Whittington is a similar type of player.

When it comes to Reeder, the Rams don’t have a lot of linebackers, let alone succession plans. However, Reeder does have special teams value. The Rams may be hoping a player like Jake Hummel can take this role.