Sean McVay, Ty Simpson Had ‘Secret Meetings’; McVay ‘High’ On QB
The win-now Rams shocked many observers when they spent the 13th overall pick in this year’s draft on a developmental quarterback, former Alabama signal-caller Ty Simpson. For his part, Simpson suggested afterward he had little pre-draft contact with the Rams, saying (via Sarah Barshop of ESPN): “I met with some scouts at (Alabama), and that was really it. They talked to my agent, but that was really not much.”
[Poll: Grading Rams’ Simpson Pick]
It turns out Simpson was being cagey, as he revealed Monday in an interview with Ian Fitzsimmons on ESPN Radio.
“We tried to keep this under wraps as long as we could,” Simpson told Fitzsimmons. “It was something to where I knew they were interested, but they wanted to make it private and didn’t want people to know that they were interested.”
Simpson added that he and head coach Sean McVay “had some secret meetings” and “talked for hours and hours” about football. Meeting with a prospect is atypical for Rams brass (McVay and general manager Les Snead), Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic notes. While McVay drew plenty of attention online when he looked less than thrilled in the aftermath of the Simpson pick, that was not the case. McVay has “significant say” over the Rams’ first selection every year, Rodrigue relays. Snead would not have pulled the trigger on Simpson had McVay been against it.
After making a mere 15 starts in college, there is no shortage of skepticism regarding Simpson’s chances of succeeding in the NFL. But both McVay and Snead are “very high on Simpson,” per Rodrigue. McVay, who has earned a reputation as an offensive guru, will play a key role in developing the 23-year-old as he breaks into the league as a backup.
It is unclear how long it will take for Simpson to get a look as a starter, as he is stuck behind one of the league’s premier signal-callers. Matthew Stafford will play his age-38 season in 2026, but he has shown no signs of slowing down. The 17-year veteran won his first MVP after throwing a career-high 46 touchdown passes last season. He came within a few points of reaching his second Super Bowl, but the Seahawks upended the Rams in a 31-27 NFC championship game. The Stafford-led Rams will aim to get over the hump and win their first title since 2021 next season, but in the meantime, he is likely to ink a lucrative extension.
The Rams may have just landed their QB of the future, but it does not appear Simpson will overtake Stafford any time soon. As was the case with past first-round QBs like Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love in Green Bay, it may be multiple years before Simpson takes the reins.
Ty Simpson Fallout: Rams, McVay, Snead, Stafford, Lemon, Sadiq, Garoppolo, Ioane
While loosely connected to Ty Simpson entering the draft, the Rams were viewed as more likely to add a player that helped their strong 2026 roster compete for a Super Bowl title. In a move eerily similar to the Packers’ Jordan Love pick six years ago, the Rams came out of Round 1 with Simpson — who may well sit behind Matthew Stafford for multiple seasons.
Discussions about this pick pivoted from whether Simpson was a reach at No. 13 to whether Sean McVay was enthused about the selection. McVay’s post-draft presser left plenty to be desired on the latter front. For instance, McVay made this comment shortly after the choice:
“There were a lot of players that we liked, but when you do look at it, I think the thing you liked about the body of work is … let’s make one thing clear, this is Matthew’s team,” McVay said. “You get a chance to be able to address the backup quarterback.”
[RELATED: Rams Considered Joe Flacco In Free Agency]
This situation technically makes Simpson the backup quarterback — McVay went as far as to say Simpson will compete with disappointing holdover Stetson Bennett for the gig — but the Rams paid Jimmy Garoppolo barely $3MM to handle that role over the past two years. Dynamics in play here certainly separate this from merely staffing the QB2 job. With the exception of the Packers’ three-year Love developmental plan, QBs chosen in Round 1 play as rookies or, at the latest, by Year 2. Stafford is going into an age-38 season and is expected to sign an extension soon.
The Packers did add Love ahead of a Rodgers MVP season, but Stafford coming off an MVP campaign and seeing his team draft his successor is uncovered ground. No team rostering a reigning MVP quarterback has chosen another passer in the first or second round since the 1970 merger. But that is Stafford’s reality now. While this situation differs from the clunky Kirk Cousins–Michael Penix Jr. setup, as Stafford is unlikely to be benched anytime soon, a clock is almost certainly in place on his Rams tenure — rather than a Super Bowl frontrunner augmenting his current roster.
Makai Lemon was “definitely” in the mix to go to L.A. at 13, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, but this does not appear to have been a McVay-Les Snead power struggle. A personnel source informed Fowler that Simpson being there at 13 meant the Rams were taking him, going so far as to say the Alabama prospect compared favorably to No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza by some in the team’s building.
McVay “absolutely” was onboard with the pick, another source told Fowler, with a separate team source indicating the duo was in lockstep by “all indications.”
“I think Sean had a chat with Matthew before last night. And that’s one thing that Matthew’s definitely earned,” Snead said, via The Sedano and Cap Morning Show (h/t Pro Football Talk’s Myles Simmons) “It’s one of the things that we’re working together to go through it. Matthew is on his way to, I would say this, a Hall of Fame career, right? And he still has gas left in the tank. And big picture, our vision’s always been, ‘Hey, let’s make the most of this time with Matthew and his teammates — let’s chase special together, however long that may [last].’ There’s no timeline on this. The longer, the better. Matthew just came off an MVP season, so if he continues playing, it’s like, this is better for everyone involved.
“And I think at the end of the day, Sean and I are going to always work together in these types of decisions. … But there was a lot that was going on into maneuvering that draft. So, we’re in lockstep. We work together. We’re collaborative. It’s him and I partnering to try to do the best for the Rams.”
Snead played in the SEC (at Auburn) around the same time Simpson’s father (Jason) was at Mississippi State. Jason Simpson, the longtime HC at Tennessee-Martin, consulted with Snead on whether Ty should declare for the draft or stay in college. Snead said Ty was a first-round-level talent, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero notes. Simpson received $5MM and then $6.5MM offers from Miami to transfer there for the ’26 season, according to Pelissero. Snead had his eye on Simpson dating back to the fall, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes.
These discussions commenced before Alabama’s Rose Bowl game. Miami’s second offer would have compared to a second-round guarantee, but Simpson’s No. 13 overall pact will be worth $25.77MM fully guaranteed (per OverTheCap). When Ty’s parents discussed the QB’s future with Snead before his draft declaration, Pelissero indicates the longtime Rams GM conveyed a real possibility the Rams would draft him in the first round. (While the Rams’ draft slot was not known at that point, L.A. knew where its Atlanta-obtained pick would land since the Falcons’ season had ended.)
Simpson declared for the draft Jan. 7 — three days after the Falcons’ season wrapped — and the Rams carried a rare opportunity to find a Stafford heir apparent. The team’s draft slot regularly comes outside the top 20; it landed at No. 29 this year. The Rams traded their own pick to the Chiefs for Trent McDuffie, and the draft community had viewed that swap as a decision that would likely send Simpson elsewhere. The Rams were viewed as high on Simpson but were considered more likely to draft him at 29 than at 13 (or via a trade-down from 13).
Even if this was a Snead-based pick, McVay has held tremendous input since arriving in L.A. nine years ago. A source familiar with the organization’s inner workings told FanSided’s Jason La Canfora that McVay “pulls all the triggers, and especially on a quarterback.” It would be highly unlikely a coach with McVay’s track record would be overruled by his GM, leading some in the league to view McVay’s lack of post-draft enthrallment for the pick as performative for Stafford’s benefit.
McVay indeed called Stafford on Thursday, per Jones. This differed from the Falcons’ approach, as they famously did not call Cousins before the Penix pick. Stafford is on a different QB tier than Cousins, and while it will be interesting to hear the veteran passer’s thoughts on the move, Simpson will be expected to sit for a while. The move also came partially due to Garoppolo uncertainty, per Fowler, though that assuredly played a small part in this. Garoppolo, whom the Rams had wanted back, is considering retirement.
McVay said (via Jones) he does not believe this pick will affect Stafford extension talks. The Rams have reached revised deals with their five-year starter in each of the past two offseasons, but with the QB unsigned for 2027, a true extension is on the docket this year.
Stafford pursued a $50MM-plus-AAV deal last year, being allowed to explore a trade, but backed down — after aggressive Raiders and Giants pushes — and signed a reworked Rams pact that brought a $40MM early guarantee. Simpson’s status aside, Stafford will still carry considerable leverage in Rams talks. Though, it is worth wondering if Simpson’s arrival will affect how much in future guarantees the Rams will want to offer.
Tied closely to the Rams coming into the draft, Lemon fell to 20th (via an Eagles trade-up in front of the Steelers). The Rams also considered tight end Kenyon Sadiq, per Fowler, who adds Caleb Downs — had he fallen to 13 — was on the team’s radar. Dallas traded up one spot to ensure it landed Downs at No. 11. The Rams have pursued a young weapon in each of the previous two first rounds. They sought Brock Bowers in 2024 and made an offer for No. 8 overall — believed to be a Tetairoa McMillan aim — in 2025. They also were linked to Emeka Egbuka in last year’s first round.
That makes the Simpson-over-Lemon call interesting, but if the Rams are right on the passer (and they certainly have an optimal setup to develop one given McVay’s success), that will end up being the right play long term.
The Rams also received calls from teams eager to move ahead of the Ravens (at No. 14) for guard Vega Ioane, and while it would have made sense to explore sliding down and picking up assets, the team stood pat. That certainly furthers the belief McVay was firmly in Camp Simpson, despite the Crimson Tide signal-caller being a one-year college starter. Simpson, who was linked to the Cardinals and Jets (among other teams) in this draft, preferred to end up in L.A., Fowler adds.
Green Bay has seen its Love investment pay dividends, though its 2020 squad — despite a Rodgers MVP effort — fell just short of Super Bowl LV. The Packers have not been that close since, with a non-QB first-round pick potentially enough to make the difference in that Buccaneers matchup five Januarys ago. But the Packers have since extended Love, who has become an upper-crust QB. The Rams had not brought in a starter-level draft prospect under McVay, though the HC developed Snead draftee Jared Goff upon arrival.
The Simpson project will be scrutinized, but this will remain Stafford’s show for a while. The extension talks will be the next chapter to follow here, and it will be fascinating how long the Rams truly commit to their likely Hall of Fame-bound starter — and, perhaps, how long he now wants to commit to the team — now that they have his likely replacement rostered.
Rams, QB Matthew Stafford Progressing On Extension
Matthew Stafford did not consider retirement for too long this offseason, revealing during his MVP acceptance speech he would play an 18th NFL season. As Sean McVay rejoiced, the Rams were aware they needed to complete another round of negotiations with their star quarterback.
Reaching reworked deals with Stafford in 2024 and ’25, the Rams are likely to complete a true extension with their five-year starter this year. Considerable progress has been made on that front, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Stafford’s latest revised deal runs through the 2026 season. The QB has reported for the start of Rams voluntary workouts, Rapoport adds.
Agreeing to a Rams-friendly extension weeks after leading the team to a Super Bowl LVI conquest, Stafford came to regret that choice — which resulted in a four-year, $160MM 2022 re-up — and came to the table in 2024 and ’25. The 2025 rework came after the Rams let Stafford speak with other teams about a trade. The Giants and Raiders lined up guarantee packages covering north of $90MM, but Stafford ultimately decided to stay with McVay. That decision proved wise, as he soared to an MVP nod that could eventually be the deciding factor in his Hall of Fame case.
The Rams and Stafford agreed on a two-year, $80MM revision that included a $40MM guarantee at signing. Another $40MM guarantee vested on Day 5 of the 2026 league year. A $24MM 2026 option bonus was also split into four parts, according to Spotrac.
The team will assuredly flood Stafford’s next agreement with void years and perhaps include more option bonuses to keep cap hits low, setting up for a big dead money blow when this partnership concludes down the road. Given Stafford’s play over the past three seasons — after a multi-injury 2022 that brought a half-season of work — the Rams will gladly make this sacrifice.
This figures to be an eventful offseason for the Rams on the contract front. They already imported the Chiefs’ starting cornerback tandem by trading for Trent McDuffie and signing Jaylen Watson. In-house extension decisions remain. In addition to a Stafford call — one that will lower the QB’s $48.27MM 2026 cap hit — the Rams have seen Puka Nacua, Kobie Turner, Byron Young, Steve Avila and Warren McClendon become extension-eligible. None of those players’ deals includes a fifth-year option, giving the Rams plenty of work to do on an impact 2023 draft class.
Ahead of the draft, the Rams hold just more than $26MM in cap space. Although Nacua’s standing appears murkier thanks to some offseason headlines, the All-Pro wideout is viewed as a top extension priority (though, no deal is imminent). Nacua’s rehab stay notwithstanding, the fourth-year standout did report for the start of voluntary Rams workouts Monday. He will once again team with Stafford and Davante Adams, with the Rams being connected to a possible first-round receiver addition as well. Our Ely Allen has them selecting Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson at No. 13.
With the Rams trading No. 29 (and other draft assets) for McDuffie, the prospect of the team adding a Stafford heir apparent in this draft diminishes. Stafford’s high level of play will make tabbing a successor difficult, with the Rams presumably set for late draft slots as a result. McVay has said he believes his starter can play multiple additional seasons. While Stafford is year-to-year at this point, he will lead another Super Bowl-contending team this coming season. He will likely do so with a new contract on the books.
More Rams-Matthew Stafford Contract Talks On Tap; Raise Likely For MVP
The past two offseasons have brought Matthew Stafford contract talks. The 2023 offseason included the Rams dangling the likely Hall of Famer in trades (after an injury-marred 2022). But the star quarterback has now moved into strong position to score a true raise on a contract he signed back in 2022.
Los Angeles rewarded its longtime starter with a guarantee influx just before the 2025 league year. This ended the strange trade subplot involving the Giants and Raiders. Stafford received a $40MM 2025 guarantee, and the Rams included a $24MM 2026 option bonus (which is split into four $6MM payments, per Spotrac). Stafford’s contract still expires after the 2027 season, but it would appear extension talks are coming.
[RELATED: Stafford Commits To Playing In 2026]
It should not be expected Stafford will play for the $40MM number in 2026, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes, indicating more contract talks will be on tap. A raise will be likely here. The Rams can lower Stafford’s $48.27MM 2026 cap number with an extension, but they will absorb some void years-driven punishment down the road. For now, though, the team will have the 2025 MVP back for a sixth season.
Stafford pushed for 2025 guarantees during renegotiation talks in 2024, but no too much came the QB’s way at that time. The team moved $5MM from future years into 2024 and inserted a $4MM guaranteed roster bonus for 2025. Stafford needed to come back to the table last year to lock in the $40MM 2025 guarantee, which was agreed to after the Rams let him speak with other teams.
The Giants and Raiders had near-$100MM guarantee packages lined up, but such a move would have meant relocating to a rebuilding team. Stafford opted to stay with Sean McVay, and the decision paid off. The Rams gave their QB Davante Adams to target alongside Puka Nacua and watched passer throw a career-high 46 touchdown passes (to go with an NFL-leading 4,707 passing yards at 7.7 per attempt) en route to MVP honors.
Adams is slated to come back, and a Nacua extension is a high priority. Though, the Stafford matter will probably come first. Stafford accepted a team-friendly extension (four years, $160MM) in March 2022 but seemed to regret that, as the 2024 and ’25 negotiations illustrated. The cannon-armed passer roared back after an injury-plagued 2022. The 2024 and ’25 Pro Bowl nods were Stafford’s only original-ballot invites of his career, and the MVP award coming after a Super Bowl title probably pushed his Hall of Fame candidacy past the goal line.
Stafford’s $40MM AAV now ranks 16th among quarterbacks. Considering his importance to the Rams and the team having continued to delay acquiring an heir apparent, Stafford’s camp will bring plenty of leverage into the next round of talks. After Stafford left some money on the table in 2022, will he operate more aggressively ahead of his age-38 season?
The Rams have a few starters now eligible for extensions, with Kobie Turner, Byron Young and Warren McClendon joining Nacua from a talented 2023 draft class. With Rob Havenstein retiring, McClendon is poised to step into the starting right tackle role on a full-time basis.
It will be interesting to see how the Rams proceed here. They were not prepared to meet Stafford’s $50MM-per-year ask during the sides’ 2025 negotiations. It would stand to reason Stafford will come back with an AAV number beyond $50MM, considering his accomplishments compared to some of the players in that salary bracket. Trevor Lawrence, Tua Tagovailoa, Jordan Love, Brock Purdy and Stafford Rams predecessor Jared Goff secured deals averaging more than $53MM per year. That said, older QBs have settled for non-top-market prices in the not-so-distant past. Drew Brees finished his career on a two-year, $50MM contract, ditto Tom Brady.
While it would be doubtful any more trade talks occur, the arduous nature of the 2024 and ’25 redo discussions do not exactly make it sound like the 2026 negotiations will be a smooth process. The Rams have seen a QB work as their primary starter in seven straight seasons just twice since the merger — Jim Everett (1986-93) and Marc Bulger (2003-09). Will Stafford end up being signed beyond his sixth L.A. season? It will be interesting to see what numbers come up as the Rams negotiate with their QB for a fourth time in five offseasons.
Matthew Stafford To Return In 2026
Matthew Stafford claimed MVP honors tonight, becoming the first quarterback on a team that did not win its division to snare the award since Peyton Manning in 2008. Stafford also used his podium time to confirm he will return for an 18th season.
The Rams quarterback is under contract for one more season. Recent renegotiations have taken place, and it could be expected at least one more round of talks will commence between Stafford and the Rams soon. Barring more trade talks, Stafford is assured to head back to Los Angeles for a sixth season.
[RELATED: Rams Extend Sean McVay, Les Snead]
Edging Drake Maye by one first-place vote in the MVP balloting, Stafford finished his 17th season with an NFL-leading 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdown throws. He enjoyed the benefit of targeting Puka Nacua and Davante Adams in a Sean McVay-piloted offense. While Adams was not yet committed to the Rams during Stafford’s trade-rumor stretch, it was always odd the star QB was that open to leaving the Rams given the infrastructure he has in L.A.
The Giants and Raiders engaged in aggressive trade pursuits, with the Steelers among the other teams in the derby. The Giants and Raiders had contracts worked out with the disgruntled passer, but cooler heads prevailed and Stafford remained a Ram on a reworked deal.
Stafford agreed to a two-year, $80MM pact that included a $40MM guarantee for 2025. Under the terms of his original four-year, $160MM agreement, no guaranteed money was in place that far into the deal. But Stafford, who missed much of the 2022 season due to injury, has sustained high-quality play into his late 30s. That has prompted the Rams to rework his deal twice since authorizing it in spring 2022.
The Rams have stacked six void years onto this contract, which expires in March 2027. Stafford retiring this year would have brought $48MM in dead money for the Rams. Los Angeles’ latest rework will reward Stafford with $40MM guaranteed on Day 5 of the 2026 league year. That represents a player-friendly structure, but the team could lower his $48.27MM cap hit with another extension — one that would seemingly be completed before that mid-March vesting date. Though, it will be difficult for the Rams to commit future guarantees to their QB standout due to his year-to-year approach at this point in his career.
Stafford’s MVP award may well be what pushes his Hall of Fame candidacy over the goal line one day. The former Lions starter amazingly had only one original-ballot Pro Bowl nod — a requirement for Hall of Fame entry — through 16 seasons. He has since upped that count to three, delivering some of his best work from 2024-25. The Rams won two playoff games this season, including an overtime thriller in frigid Chicago, and pushed the Seahawks to the brink in an NFC championship game shootout. After that game, McVay took exception to a question about Stafford’s return; the coach indicated he would obviously take Stafford back.
L.A. has two first-round picks this year, thanks to a trade-down move that gave Atlanta James Pearce Jr. in the 2025 first round. The team has tabled a move for a Stafford heir apparent for a bit. But the 2026 quarterback class is not particularly appealing. The lot of potential first-rounders disappointed or returned to school, pointing to the 2027 draft as a much better class beyond this Fernando Mendoza-centered crop. The Rams did not see Stetson Bennett take off, and they have used Jimmy Garoppolo as their backup over the past two seasons. Garoppolo is once again a free agent.
For a stretch in training camp, it looked like the Rams would need Garoppolo for regular-season duty. A back injury kept Stafford off the practice field for weeks. This reminded of his elbow malady during the 2022 offseason. But the former No. 1 overall pick was ready by Week 1 and did not miss a start.
The Rams will hope for a smooth offseason with their signal-caller this year. If/once Stafford begins a sixth season as the Rams’ starting QB, it will mark the first time a Rams passer has started in Week 1 in six straight seasons since Marc Bulger (2004-09).
Rams QB Matthew Stafford Undecided On Playing Future
The Rams came up short in the NFC title game on Sunday. That marked the end of quarterback Matthew Stafford‘s 17th season in the NFL.
Over much of his Rams tenure, Stafford has faced questions about the possibility of retirement. His future remained uncertain for a long period of the 2025 offseason before a new Los Angeles agreement was ultimately worked out. For now, Stafford does not have a firm timeline on deciding whether he wishes to continue his career or not.
“It’ll be a lot that goes into it,” the Super Bowl winner said during an appearance on the Let’s Go! podcast. “It’s a physical, a mental and emotional decision, a personal and a family decision as well… So when I’m ready to figure that out, I’ll be ready to figure that out. That moment isn’t right now. I have so much more time, I feel like, to reflect on just the people and the season that we just had.”
Amidst a new round of uncertainty regarding his status, Stafford loomed as a trade candidate last year. The Rams allowed his camp to seek out a deal and an accompanying extension; the Raiders and Giants emerged as serious contenders. Part of their selling point was an extension worth more than what Los Angeles was prepared to pay. In the end, though, Stafford elected once again to remain in place with the Rams on a new deal.
That 2025 agreement included a raise as well as – crucially – $40MM in 2026 compensation which is set to vest on the fifth day of the new league year. By mid-March, the Rams will therefore need to know Stafford’s intentions. When speaking after Sunday’s loss, head coach Sean McVay confirmed (video link via ESPN’s Kimberley Martin) the team will welcome him back for next season if that proves to be an option.
Stafford will turn 38 at the end of next week. A lingering back issue was a major talking point through training camp, with the Rams appearing to be uncertain about his ability to remain healthy all season. In fact, Stafford was available throughout the campaign and enjoyed an incredibly productive year. The former No. 1 pick led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns, earning first-team All-Pro honors and his third career Pro Bowl nod along the way.
Expectations would be high for Stafford and the Rams once again in 2026 if their partnership were to extend into a sixth season. At this point, though, it is unknown if the team will have stability under center or if Los Angeles will be forced into finding a new QB1 this spring.
Matthew Stafford To Play In Divisional Round; Rams Place CB Ahkello Witherspoon On IR
Matthew Stafford managed to play through an injury to his throwing hand on Saturday. He will be available for the Rams during the divisional round as well.
Stafford underwent testing yesterday to determine the extent of his injury. When speaking to the media on Monday, head coach Sean McVay revealed (via ESPN’s Sarah Barshop) he suffered a sprained index finger. Stafford will nevertheless be available for the Rams during their game against the Bears on Sunday, to no surprise.
Stafford has a well-earned reputation for playing through injuries. The 37-year-old entered the season with concerns over his back, but he managed to play all 17 games in 2025. That run of availability paved the way for one of Stafford’s best years, as he led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns. A first-team All-Pro selection for the first time in his career (to go along with his third Pro Bowl nod), Stafford will remain a major factor regarding the Rams’ Super Bowl chances as he prepares to manage the ailment this week.
There is other, less positive, injury news for Los Angeles. McVay said (h/t Barshop) cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon reinjured in shoulder during the Rams’ win against the Panthers. Witherspoon has been placed on injured reserve as a result. That move ensures he will not be able to play again this season.
Witherspoon was able to play in only six games due to his shoulder. The nine-year veteran returned to the lineup in late November and managed to reprise his defensive role when healthy; overall, Witherspoon logged a 48% snap share and started two games. Los Angeles will once again need to proceed without him, though. Witherspoon, 30, is a pending free agent. His market value has not doubt been dealt a blow over the course of an injury-marred campaign.
Rams’ Matthew Stafford Returns To Practice
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.
Rams QB Matthew Stafford To Conduct Second Workout
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.
Rams’ Matthew Stafford Remains Absent From Practice
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.