August 21: McVay confirmed on Thursday (via Barshop) that Stafford was a full participant all week without restrictions. Stafford himself said that he’s taking a “day-to-day approach” to his back injury, which he characterized as “something that crept up on me a little bit.” The veteran quarterback will not travel with the Rams to Cleveland for their preseason finale on Saturday.

August 18: Following his second individual throwing session, Matthew Stafford has managed to suit up for practice. The Rams’ starting quarterback participated in his first training camp workout on Monday.

Last week had been targeted as return date in Stafford’s case. Exercising an abundance of caution, the Rams instead elected to keep him on the sidelines. The 37-year-old was a participant today as planned, though, with ESPN’s Sarah Barshop noting he took part in team drills.

“It was good to be able to have Matthew out there. He did a good job today,” head coach Sean McVay said when speaking to the media after practice (video link). “I think there was a lot of intended information, but there’s no updates. We’re going to keep it a day, and really, a week at a time. But it’s great to be able to see him out there today, and we’ll see how this afternoon goes and tomorrow.”

McVay noted there is no firm timeline in place with respect to how the rest of the week will play out regarding Stafford’s practice participation. He also cautioned (via Gary Klein of the L.A. Times) that today’s encouraging development does not ensure at this point Stafford will be available for Week 1. The Rams have maintained his fifth Los Angles season is expected to begin on time, but a lingering back issue has proven to be troublesome over the course of the summer.

Team and player agreed to another restructured contract this offseason, with the Rams guaranteeing money into 2026. As a result, Stafford’s health for the immediate future but also beyond the coming campaign is key. A separate practice schedule was designed for the former Lion given his injury, but sparse participation over the coming weeks would not amount to much in the way of first-team reps leading up to Week 1.

Veteran Jimmy Garoppolo and former fourth-rounder Stetson Bennett round out the Rams’ QB depth chart. Their practice workloads will be altered if Stafford does indeed return to action on a regular basis, but it remains to be seen if that will be the case. Nonetheless, today’s news marks an encouraging sign for all involved.

AUGUST 16: The Rams declined to comment on Stafford’s status when asked if he took part in today’s planned workout (h/t Barshop). McVay is scheduled to speak to the media on Monday, at which point more details will emerge regarding Stafford’s latest efforts to get on the field.

AUGUST 15: Last Saturday, Matthew Stafford took part in a throwing session. The success of that workout initially put him on track take part in Rams training camp practices for the first time this offseason. Instead, he has yet to participate while dealing with a back issue.

Another workout will take place tomorrow, ESPN’s Sarah Barshop notes. Stafford was held out of practice Monday due to an abundance of caution, and head coach Sean McVay said at the time no thought has been given to surgery. Full participation in the regular season has long been named as the target in this case, but it remains to be seen if or when Stafford will see the field in a practice setting.

McVay responded with “a little bit of both” when asked if the issue relates to functionality or pain management. He added, “we’re trying to get our hands around this as well, so I don’t really have much more information other than [I] think we’re trying some different things that are hopefully going to be in alignment with getting him back out on the field.”

Barshop’s colleague Jeremy Fowler reports the Rams continue to expect Stafford to be available for Week 1. Still, the decisively uncertain tone of McVay’s latest comments on the matter will no doubt be at least some cause for concern. This offseason saw the latest arrangement made between team and player in Stafford’s case, and the Super Bowl winner is owed guaranteed money into 2026. His health for the next two seasons (at a minimum) thus represents a central priority.

At the age of 37, chronic ailments will increasingly become something to monitor regarding Stafford. He is no stranger to playing through pain dating back to his Lions tenure, though, so it would come as no surprise if a full 17-game slate were to still be on tap. It will be interesting to see how tomorrow’s session goes and how the team aims to proceed in its aftermath.

Coming off a run to the divisional round of the postseason, the Rams will rely heavily on Stafford once again in 2025. Backup Jimmy Garoppolo and third-stringer Stetson Bennett have been in place to handle all quarterback reps so far in camp, but that could change in the near future.

10:00pm: When speaking to the media after practice, McVay said (via Barshop) Stafford’s non-participation in today’s practice came about through an abundance of caution after his back “didn’t feel good enough.” When asked if surgery has received consideration, McVay added no discussions on that front have taken place. This situation remains one to watch over the coming days.

12:48pm: Monday was targeted as the day for Matthew Stafford to return to practice with the Rams. That will not be the case, however.

Stafford is not in uniform for today’s practice, as noted by ESPN’s Sarah Barshop. She adds the 37-year-old is instead in a mobile Ammortal chamber, which helps with “restoration and rejuvenation” regarding injuries and pain management. A lingering back issue has increasingly become a storyline for team and player this summer, and today’s development will do nothing to quell further doubts about Stafford’s Week 1 availability.

The Rams have consistently remained confident the issue will not extend into September, and a Saturday throwing session took place without any setbacks. That appeared to set Stafford up for practice in individual drills today, with work off to the side potentially taking place during the following days as joint practices with the Chargers unfolded. Injuries to the Bolts led to those joint practices being canceled, something which could pave the way for an increased participation rate over the coming days in Stafford’s case.

At this point, however, it remains unclear when the Super Bowl winner will suit up. Stafford’s camp explored a trade this offseason before the latest restructure to his contract was worked out. The 2025 arrangement resulted in another short-term raise but also money being guaranteed for next season. As a result, a clean bill of health is crucial for the Rams’ outlook beyond the coming campaign.

Jimmy Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett are set to continue taking reps in practice at the quarterback spot. Team and player will of course hope Stafford joins that group in the near future as evaluations of his back continue. After receiving treatment today, it will be interesting to see what his outlook becomes moving forward. Head coach Sean McVay has said Stafford would be available to play if it were currently the regular season, but this issue is clearly a point of concern as the countdown to Week 1 continues.

Back soreness resulted in Matthew Stafford being limited to start training camp. Instead of returning to practice this coming week, the Super Bowl winner will be sidelined.

Rams head coach Sean McVay said on Saturday (via ESPN’s Sarah Barshop) that Stafford is still expected to be at full strength in time for Week 1. For now, though, the 37-year-old is considered week-to-week.

“I don’t think we can be smart enough with somebody like Matthew [Stafford] and I think it’s best for him, best for our football team, and that’s kind of the plan that we’ll have moving forward,” McVay said of the team’s amended practice schedule which will be implemented this summer.

McVay also noted (via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network) that Stafford is on board with the plan to manage his workload during camp. The team will also employ a “modified schedule” for practice with other veterans on the offensive side of the ball. Longevity through the campaign is the target as Los Angeles aims for another postseason run in 2025.

Keeping Stafford in particular healthy will of course be critical to the team’s success. He was able to handle a full campaign last year, only sitting out the regular season finale with the Rams having already clinched the NFC West title. A sustained run of availability will also be key given the commitments which are in place beyond the 2025 campaign.

The Rams allowed Stafford to survey his trade market this offseason before ultimately working out another restructured pact. The two-time Pro Bowler is scheduled to collect $84MM over the next two years, with $56MM of that figure – including $16MM in 2026 – fully guaranteed. No long-term successor is in place, so Stafford’s healthy and level of play will remain central in determining the team’s fate for at least another two years.

In the meantime, veteran backup Jimmy Garoppolo and 2023 fourth-rounder Stetson Bennett will handle practice reps at the quarterback spot. Stafford will see time as camp progresses, but his ability to avoid any setbacks will be a storyline to monitor leading up to the regular season.

The Rams and Matthew Stafford agreed on another reworked deal earlier this year, ending the trade storyline and ensuring the talented quarterback would return for a fifth season in Los Angeles. Some details on the QB’s contract adjustment have finally surfaced.

Stafford is still tied to a $40MM-per-year deal, but the Rams are boosting his guarantee total by a significant degree. Of the $80MM remaining on the contract, Stafford will see $56MM fully guaranteed, according to OverTheCap. This updated package includes $20MM guaranteed this year and, more significantly regarding the QB’s future, $16MM guaranteed in 2026.

It would now cost the Rams $35.37MM in 2026 dead money were they to trade Stafford before June 1 next year. The team also dropped Stafford’s cap number to $40.97MM via the use of void years. While Stafford’s contract still runs through 2026, eight void years are now included in the deal. They will spread out Stafford’s option bonuses through 2027, per OverTheCap. The QB’s 2025 cap hit was to be $49.67MM before this adjustment.

It took some doing to reach this point. The Rams allowed Stafford to explore trades, and the Giants and Raiders (among others) expressed interest to the point they had high-guarantee packages ready. New York and Las Vegas stayed in this race until the end, when the 37-year-old QB opted not to venture into an uncertain situation. After all, Sean McVay has played a big part in elevating the former No. 1 pick’s profile due to the team success the Rams have achieved since the January 2021 trade. Stafford leaving his L.A. setup to be part of less talented Giants or Raiders teams did not make that much sense, but the QB has sought a better deal in each of the past two offseasons. This included a $50MM-per-year ask this offseason. Rather than go there, the Rams will instead lock in much of the QB’s money remaining on his current contract.

Stafford landed here because he gave the Rams a discount upon signing a four-year, $160MM extension in 2022. The Super Bowl LVI winner could have pushed for more, given his status and where the market was headed at that time, but he left money on the table to help the Rams build a better roster around him. This soon led to the team rewarding Cooper Kupp and Aaron Donald. Stafford, however, likely grew to regret his decision — based on two years of angling for better arrangements.

The Giants were prepared to give Stafford a deal that included at least $50MM in per-year salary, while the Raiders’ Tom Brady-powered push was also believed to be high on guarantees. Both teams were viewed as willing to guarantee Stafford at least $90MM over two years. The Rams have not done that, but the QB opted for comfort over uncertainty.

Those teams’ pursuits make this year’s Stafford reworking a more player-friendly adjustment compared to 2024, when the Rams agreed to move $5MM from future years into his ’24 package. This adjustment also included a $4MM roster bonus. The 2025 redo brings a much bigger commitment, which Stafford has been seeking from the Rams. It would seem likely the sides will be at it again in 2025, though the experienced passer is not assured of playing beyond this season. The updated guarantee numbers would provide a better reason to do so, however.

No strong retirement rumors have emerged just yet, however, and Stafford has bounced back from his injury-plagued 2022 to reestablish his value. The Rams also did not draft a quarterback this year, continuing to delay their search for an heir apparent. That decision and this contract reworking illustrates the team remains a Stafford-centric operation.