Rams make bold decision on Matthew Stafford

Matthew Stafford’s future with the LA Rams was thrown into uncertainty on Saturday when multiple sources reported that the quarterback had been given permission to speak to other teams.

Stafford, now 37, signed a lucrative contract extension in March 2022 following the team’s triumph at Super Bowl LVI. Ahead of the 2024 season the Rams had to rework that deal significantly and a similar restructuring would be needed to keep him for 2025.

“I’m sure proud of the body of work and really proud of the way that he’s played,” McVay said of the Stafford uncertainty. “I think the coolest thing you can say about Matthew is he shines the brightest on the biggest stages.”

“When you look at the seven playoff games that he’s played in since he’s been a Ram, he certainly gives you a chance every time you step out on the field, and for that, I’m sure appreciative.”

The Rams finished the 2024 season in first place in the NFC West and made it to the divisional round of the postseason, losing to eventual Super Bowl champions Philadelphia Eagles. It wasn’t a bad season from McVay’s team, but they have work to do ahead of the new campaign.

Should the Rams retain Matt Stafford?

Stafford remains one of the most consistent and productive quarterbacks in the league but his advancing age means that he is certainly on the decline. The No. 1 pick from the 2009 NFL Draft could attract a big offer from elsewhere to see out the remainder of his current deal but it’s not clear if he would seriously consider a move away from LA.

Former Rams quarterback Kurt Warner spoke about the situation earlier this week, arguing that the front office need to decide on a roadmap for the next couple of years. If they are building a ‘win-now’ roster then Stafford has obvious value, but if they’re focusing on the future then retaining the services of a 37 year old makes little sense.

“I think so much of decisions like that become do you feel that your team can be competitive for the next couple of years?” Warner explained. “Matt [Stafford], he’s a top-five, top-seven quarterback in the league at this point, no matter where you want to stack him up.”

Both Stafford and the Rams will hope that the situation can be resolved more swiftly than last year, when the discussions dragged on into the postseason preparations. The reworked contract wasn’t actually agreed until the day that Stafford reported to training camp ahead of the new season.

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