Report: Los Angeles Rams view Arch Manning as target for potential Matthew Stafford succession plan

Although Matthew Stafford chose to return to the Los Angeles Rams this year despite trade rumors, the franchise could be preparing for its own future. According to Yahoo! Sports’ Charles Robinson, Texas quarterback Arch Manning is one of the most notable names to come up.

Robinson reported the Rams view Manning as the only Tier 1 quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft, should he decide to declare. The anticipation continues to build ahead of his first year as the Texas quarterback following Quinn Ewers’ departure, and the draft rumors continue to persist as a result.

According to Robinson, the Rams view Manning’s ceiling to be similar to Josh Allen because of his athleticism and strength. Los Angeles also has two first-round picks this year, which is why the idea of a “succession plan” could make sense.

Stafford signed a two-year, $84 million contract to return to the Rams in 2025. Even if he comes back for the final year of that deal in 2026, Robinson reported the Rams could opt to put Manning on a path similar to Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes famously sat behind Alex Smith with the Kansas City Chiefs before taking over as the full-time starter, winning three Super Bowls since doing so in 2018. Robinson reported Stafford would be “open” to such a plan.

Manning arrived at Texas with plenty of fanfare as the No. 1 overall recruit from the 2023 cycle, and he sat behind Ewers for two years, learning the ins and outs of Steve Sarkisian’s scheme. The grandson of Archie and nephew of Peyton and Eli, Manning now has the keys to the offense, and the hype is loud ahead of a Week 1 matchup against Ohio State.

Manning has 12 games under his belt during his two years at Texas, including 10 appearances last year while serving as Ewers’ primary backup. He has 969 career passing yards and nine touchdowns to go with 115 rushing yards and four touchdowns, as well.

But even though he hasn’t been the full-time starter, Arch Manning is still getting ready for his third year of college football. That means he will be draft-eligible, though questions swirl about whether he will declare for the draft. In fact, FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd also indicated Manning could be a target for a “secret team” for which the Rams fit the description, and also suggested the Cleveland Browns draft him and hire Nick Saban as head coach.

Speaking at SEC Media Days last week, Manning received a question about his future plans. He said his focus is simply on the task at hand – which, at the time, was speaking with a huge crowd of reporters – before worrying about his professional future.

“I’m really just worried about getting through this interview and then getting through the run tomorrow,” Manning said. “I’m just focused on this year and getting better each day.”