The LA Rams are considered a possible Super Bowl candidate by many experts after the trade for Matthew Stafford. 49ers safety Jimmie Ward has his doubts and thinks the rookie hasn’t proven anything yet

Since the trade for quarterback Matthew Stafford, the Los Angeles Rams are considered a Super Bowl candidate by experts. 49ers safety Jimmie Ward, however, won’t believe that until the time comes.

Ward questioned whether Stafford is really an upgrade over longtime Rams playmaker Jared Goff. “I like Stafford, but the players he’s going to throw balls to are still going to be the same,” Ward told Sports Illustrated.

“He’s the same quarterback he was with the Detroit Lions and they still didn’t make the playoffs with him – and that’s even though they had Megatron (Calvin Johnson, ed.),” the 49ers pro continued.

Stafford has to prove himself first

“What was the problem in Detroit? Do people want to blame the city? What was the problem? Was it the money? If the city doesn’t have enough money to get players there, why do they even have an NFL team? That’s the big question mark,” the safety said.

“They passed on Jared Goff. He’s been to the playoffs several times and even the Super Bowl. Yeah, he lost it, but he was in the Super Bowl. Matt Stafford hasn’t shown that yet.”

Ward would not deny later in the interview that Stafford is one of the league’s top 10 playmakers.

It’s just that, in the eyes of the safety, he has yet to prove he’s truly an upgrade.