The Los Angeles Rams’ roster is chock full of young playmakers, including Puka Nacua, Kobie Turner, Byron Young and Kyren Williams. But there are also several veterans who are the real keys to the team’s success.
Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp are at the top of that list and they’re not just two of the Rams’ best players, but two of the best anywhere in the NFL. Pro Football Focus recently ranked the 30 best players over 30 years old and both Stafford and Kupp made the top 20.
Stafford was ranked particularly high, coming in at No. 5 on the list.
Stafford battled injuries in 2022, and his two-year grade takes a hit because of that. But when healthy, Stafford is arguably the best quarterback in the NFL north of 30 years old. In his past two healthy seasons, including his Super Bowl-winning 2021 year, Stafford has racked up 84 big-time throws.
Stafford is 36 years old, yet he remains one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He showed last season that he’s still got plenty left in the tank, leading the Rams to the postseason despite missing a game and a half with a thumb injury, and battling multiple other ailments, as well.
Kupp will be 31 in June and although he was limited to 12 games last season, he’s a fantastic receiver when healthy. He’s just struggled to stay on the field in recent years. Now fully healthy, Kupp should bounce back in 2024 and reestablish himself as a top-10 receiver in football.
He was ranked as the 20th-best player over 30 on PFF’s list, two spots behind Dak Prescott.
Kupp battled injuries all season in 2023 and earned just a 71.1 PFF receiving grade. That shouldn’t take away from his accomplishments in 2021, when he led the Rams to a Super Bowl, but there are concerns he might never get back to the receiver he once was.
Stafford and Kupp may not be the young playmakers they once were, but they can still cause major problems for opposing defenses.
