With Baker Mayfield expected to draw significant interest in free agency, it might be difficult for the Los Angeles Rams to retain him – especially if a team like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wants him as its starter. The free-agent market at backup quarterback is beginning to dry up already, too, with Mike White, Case Keenum, Jarrett Stidham and Easton Stick all agreeing to deals in the first two days of the negotiation period.
If the Rams want to get a little bit creative in their search for a backup to Matthew Stafford, they could look on the trade market where Matt Corral may be available for the right price. According to NFL Network’s Mike Giardi, the Panthers are willing to move Corral, who was a third-round draft pick just last year.
Heard from multiple sources that the #Panthers would be willing to move last year's 3rd round draft pick, QB Matt Corral. Cost won't be high.
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) March 13, 2023
The cost to acquire Corral is unknown, but it probably wouldn’t take a whole lot – not with the Panthers trading up to No. 1 overall in the draft for presumably their next franchise quarterback. The Panthers are a team the Rams have had previous trade talks with after they tried to swing deals for both Christian McCaffrey and Brian Burns, so there could be a front office connection already established.
Corral was an exciting prospect coming out of Ole Miss in 2022, throwing 49 touchdown passes and 19 interceptions in his final two seasons. However, even despite the Panthers’ quarterback struggles last season, he didn’t get a shot as a rookie, playing zero offensive snaps in the regular season.
He did play two preseason games but only attempted 24 total passes, completing just 10 of them for 69 yards. Of course, the preseason isn’t the determining factor in a player’s talent level, so it has to be taken with a grain of salt.
He’s an athletic quarterback with a strong arm and good accuracy, completing more than 67% of his passes in college. By no means is he a perfect prospect and he’s just 6-foot-2, but he absolutely has the tools to be a starting quarterback eventually in the NFL.
And for the Rams, that’s what they need: a new starter eventually. For now, Corral could sit behind Stafford and learn the offense. But with Stafford being 35 years old, he may not play more than another season or two in Los Angeles.
The Rams would be getting a former top-100 pick for potentially a fifth- or sixth-rounder, assuming the Panthers would take that in a trade. Even if the Rams had to give up a pair of Day 3 picks – of which they have eight – it would be a smart move rather than drafting a rookie quarterback with one of their late-round picks.
