49ers’ Rival Facing a Big Decision: Are Stafford and Kupp Really Leaving?

One of the 49ers’ biggest threats in the NFC West could be dismantling its roster by bidding farewell to Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp.

The 2024 Los Angeles Rams weren’t supposed to be a threat to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West, at least not at the outset of the season. Not even a few weeks in.

Despite an awful injury-riddled start, L.A. nevertheless managed to turn things around under head coach Sean McVay, not only sweeping the season series against the buckling Niners but also reclaiming the division crown en route to a playoff berth.

Los Angeles, of course, won the bid to trade for quarterback Matthew Stafford back in 2021 despite San Francisco’s best efforts to do the same. That proved vital, as Stafford and Co. were able to upend the 49ers in the NFC Championship game that season before beating the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl two weeks later.

However, recent signs are suggesting Rams general manager Les Snead is preparing for a new era in Southern California, one that’ll no longer include some of L.A.’s top offensive weapons.

Including Stafford.

Rams rumored to part ways with Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp

All-Pro wide receiver Cooper Kupp already shared on social media about how Los Angeles informed him he was going to be moved this offseason.

One less threat to the Niners in the division.

However, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer shared some insight on the veteran quarterback’s future, too, suggesting L.A. might look to move Stafford this offseason as well:

“Matthew Stafford’s future in Los Angeles is uncertain, and that’s one offseason domino that few are talking about. The Los Angeles Rams renegotiated Stafford’s deal a year ago. He’d pressed them on it all offseason, to the point where they weren’t sure if he’d show at camp in early July. And just as the Rams reported, it got done.

Essentially, the Rams gave him a $5 million raise and guaranteed all his money, a tick over $36 million, for 2024. That $5 million was moved from the two years left on the deal after 2024, with $4 million coming out of his ’25 total and $1 million coming out of ’26. The giveback, on Stafford’s end, is he removed all future guarantees from the deal—with the agreement that the sides would revisit the whole thing after the season.”

In that piece, Breer cited the Pittsburgh Steelers as a team potentially interested in acquiring not only Stafford but Kupp, too, especially if their own duo of signal-callers, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, opts not to return in 2025.

Indeed, it’s a suggestion offered up by Niner Noise’s sister site covering the Steelers, Still Curtain.

Of course, there’s a contingency plan in place for the Rams if they move Stafford but hold off on immediately finding his long-term replacement: re-signing former 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who backed up Stafford in SoCal in 2024 after a tumultuous tenure with the Niners that lasted from 2017 through 2022.

That alone would make Niners fans pay attention to what happens with Stafford this offseason, although keeping tabs on a chief NFC West rival won’t fly under the radar in the Bay Area either.

Simply put, this story isn’t finished yet.