The Los Angeles Rams' attention now turns to the offseason after losing to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship game.
With the futures of several players uncertain, one of which is Matthew Stafford, Sean McVay and his staff have to figure out the plan moving forward.
Given that Stafford will be 38 in a few days and the countless hits he's taken, no one would begrudge him if he retired.
But if he does, the Rams don't have a plan, with Jimmy Garoppolo and then Stetson Bennett as the backups.
Are they long-term answers?
CBS Sports' Blake Brockermeyer doesn't think so, and in his latest mock draft, has the Rams taking Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson in the first round.
"Ty Simpson could benefit from a weak quarterback class and has promising traits," Brockermeyer wrote. "He may have the most upside in the group despite struggling in the second half of the season behind limited protection and run support. He has a strong arm, can hit every area of the field with velocity and touch and processes quickly with strong anticipation. Experience will be his biggest hurdle."
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Is Stafford's successor on the roster?
You could make the case that Garoppolo is the most ready-made replacement, and he would give the Rams a reasonably high ceiling if he got a full offseason as the starter.
Bennett appears to be a career backup, but has yet to get a proper chance at the starting job, which, with Stafford and Garoppolo ahead of him, is an impossible task.
Could he battle with Jimmy G if Stafford retires? Possibly, but it would be a quick battle.
There are a host of key decisions the Rams have to make over the coming months, and Stafford might hold the key to all of them.
If he plays on, it's happy days. If not, the Rams will be looking for their next starting quarterback.
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