The Los Angeles Rams have added former Troy and Texas quarterback Matthew Caldwell to their roster following the 2026 draft.
Caldwell has just two seasons of FBS experience, and he was only the starter for one of them (with the Trojans), finishing the stretch with 1,693 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions on 63.7% completion.
He joins a room that got a lot younger on average this offseason.
Rams Add ‘Journeyman’ Matthew Caldwell After NFL Draft
GettyNew Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Caldwell is well-traveled.
News of Caldwell signing with the Rams began circulating as the draft came to a close, with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reporting on X on April 25 that, “Former Texas QB Matthew Caldwell is signing with the Rams, source said.
“After college stops at Jacksonville State, Gardner-Webb, Troy and then with the Longhorns, Caldwell’s winding football journey takes him to L.A.”
He joins an extensive list of early UDFA signings for the Rams.
Unranked as a high school recruit, Caldwell is listed at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds.
“With stints at four different schools, Caldwell epitomizes what it means to be a journeyman. He’s played in different schemes, for different coaches, in very different roles,” SB Nation’s Jacob Neidig wrote on April 24. “And while his stats don’t jump off the page and he only threw 11 passes last season, Caldwell is hoping the skills he fine tuned in Austin will give him a chance to prove that deserves an NFL roster spot.
“Caldwell will be banking on the idea that the impact he made during those 11 throws will persuade NFL front offices to give him a chance.”
Rams Lower Average Age of QB Room
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams gestures against the New Orleans Saints.
Despite his lengthy journey, Caldwell is still 22 years old. Caldwell and fellow rookie Ty Simpson, the Rams’ 23-year-old first-round pick, are both substantially younger than starter Matthew Stafford (38) and backups Jimmy Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett IV last season.
Garoppolo is 34 and remains a free agent as he contemplates retirement.
Bennett, a fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft, is 28, in the final year of his rookie contract, and has yet to take the field during a regular-season game.
The Rams and Stafford have left the door open to several more seasons together. LA would ideally not need to turn to any other QB until the reigning MVP retires. But Stafford could also retire after next season, and the Rams wanted to be prepared for that scenario.
Rams Create Another Tie to Arch Manning
GettyThe Los Angeles Rams have been linked to Matthew Caldwell’s former Longhorns teammate, Arch Manning.
At one point, the Rams were strongly linked to Caldwell’s former Longhorns teammate Arch Manning. Many projected Manning as a top QB prospect for two years straight, only for him to choose to continue his collegiate career.
Manning has not been the phenom that he was projected to be, thanks largely to his legendary bloodlines. The Rams have chosen Simpson as the heir apparent to Stafford.
Still, Rams general manager Les Snead once took a trip to watch Manning.
Caldwell was just transferring in around that time, and it is unclear if he was on Snead’s radar then. But the degrees of separation between Snead and the Rams and Manning continue to be minimal compared to most teams.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Rams Add Young ‘Journeyman’ Quarterback to Retooled Group appeared first on Heavy Sports.