Matthew Stafford

Rams Seeking First-Round Pick For Matthew Stafford; Raiders Could Show Interest?

February 23rd, 2025 at 9:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

As uncertainly looms over the future of Matthew Stafford, speculation about a potential trade will no doubt continue to intensify. The veteran quarterback’s camp has permission from the Rams to gauge his market value, and a degree of clarity on the asking price for any potential deal appears to have emerged.

Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports the Rams will alter the trade cost in a swap depending on how much money an acquiring team is willing to take on. Stafford and Los Angeles reached a one-year agreement on a revised deal last offseason, but the acceleration of money into 2024 left team in player in a similar situation for this spring. The 37-year-old will play in 2025, and the Rams have made it clear they are on board with keeping him as their starter as long as his career continues.

Considering the updates which have emerged in recent days on this situation, it would come as no surprise if a firm asking price were to emerge from the Rams. Per Bonsignore, Los Angeles would look to collect a first-round pick and more in a Stafford swap. He notes suitors will attempt to drop the cost to a package built on a second-round selection. Depending on how strong Stafford’s market proves to be, Los Angeles could be in line to receive notable draft compensation in the event efforts to work out another restructured pact fell through.

The two-time Pro Bowler is currently owed $32MM in 2025 and $31MM during the final year of his pact. Only roster bonuses totaling $4MM this year and $5MM next represent locked in compensation, however, so new guarantees (along with at least a modest raise) will be needed for an arrangement to be made. The Rams are currently mid-pack in terms of projected cap space and the team does not have a quarterback successor in the fold as things stand.

Those factors could very well help the team repeat its efforts from 2024 and grant Stafford another one-year bump in pay. If the Rams receive viable trade offers, on the other hand, they could elect to move on and start over at the position (as they will need to in the near future anyway). The former Lion has generally provided strong play during his four years in Los Angeles, although injuries and the threat of declining production represent obvious reasons for any team to hesitate regarding a lucrative commitment.

To little surprise, Bonsignore names the Raiders as a potential player in the Stafford sweepstakes. New owner Tom Brady has proven to be a highly influential voice in the organization, having played a central role in the hiring of John Spytek as general manager and Pete Carroll as head coach. Vegas is among the teams in need of a new long-term answer at the quarterback spot, but both of the two passers seen as being worthy of a Day 1 selection in this year’s draft could be off the board by the time the team is on the clock at No. 6.

Adding a bridge starter would help the Raiders’ outlook for 2025, and with a Gardner Minshew release expected, they will be in the market for a veteran. The likes of Sam Darnold and Russell Wilson could be targets in free agency provided they become available, but a trade for Stafford would provide Vegas with a short-term upgrade. Whether or not the Raiders or any other interested party will be prepared to meet the Rams’ asking price will make for one of the league’s top storylines over the near future.

Rams Give QB Matthew Stafford Permission To Speak With Other Teams

February 22nd, 2025 at 10:45pm CST by Ely Allen

We’ve seen some interesting developments in the past couple of months concerning the future of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles. Today’s newest update comes from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network who tells us that the team has given Stafford’s agent permission to speak with other teams about his value. Rapoport makes it clear that this is not a trade request, just an external appraisal.

Following the end of the Rams’ 2024 campaign, Stafford began to contemplate his future in the league, potentially weighing the possibility of retirement before ultimately making the decision to play in 2025, after some pressure for clarity from the team. As the team was waiting for that clarity, though, the Rams made it known that they were considering trading the veteran quarterback. This rumor led to interest from several teams who began to contact Los Angeles with interest in Stafford.

With today’s update, we see that the Rams have been hearing these offers and are hoping to use them to assist in their contract negotiations. Our previous most recent update hinted that the 37-year-old was seeking a raise on his next deal. This new tactic from the Rams could be seen as an attempt to let the rest of the league do their work for them. This would be similar to what the Ravens attempted last year, when they placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Lamar Jackson, and most teams expected them to match any offer sheet after letting other teams determine Jackson’s worth.

This is a less official version of this. This is closer to the MLB’s arbitration process, in which the team and player can’t come to an agreement on a player’s value, so they use a third-party arbiter to make the determination for them. As the Rams and Stafford struggle to find level ground in contract discussions, the hope is that outside teams will participate and give their two cents on what Stafford’s next contract should look like.

More likely, teams, if they don’t really believe they have a chance to land Stafford in a trade, could try to inflate the cost of a Stafford deal in order to handicap the Rams as much as possible. This possibility is underlined by a report from Rapoport’s colleague Mike Garafolo, who tells us that these other teams don’t believe this means the Rams and Stafford are headed for a split and that trade compensation will remain a hurdle to them actually acquiring the passer.

Another hurdle to acquiring Stafford via trade is the $45.3MM in dead money trading Stafford’s contract would cost the Rams, according to Jason Fitzgerald of OvertheCap.com. Still, Fitzgerald believes that the Rams would be willing to deal Stafford for a return they deem worthy, but if that adequate trade offer doesn’t come, they would work with the veteran on a modified contract.

‘Several’ Teams Contact Rams On Matthew Stafford; QB Targeting Raise?

February 19th, 2025 at 9:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

A popular talking point ahead of free agency has centered around this year’s quarterback options — both in terms of veteran FAs and the rookie crop — not being overly impressive. If the Vikings use the franchise tag to keep Sam Darnold off the market, the top prize would be off the board. In that scenario, monitoring the Rams may become necessary. Teams are already closely watching this situation.

Matthew Stafford‘s name has come up as a potential trade candidate for a bit, and Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports several teams have indeed called the Rams on the veteran passer. The Rams did shop Stafford when he was coming off a multi-injury 2022 but have since seen him reestablish form as a top-10 QB, helping the team to back-to-back playoff berths.

GM Les Snead did not exactly slam the door on Stafford being moved, but Schultz indicates Sean McVay and others inside the organization want the QB retained. The Rams need to identify a post-Stafford answer at some point, but with Aaron Donald retired and Cooper Kupp appearing set to be traded, this remains a Stafford-centered franchise. This creates some leverage for the talented quarterback, who remains tied to a team-friendly contract.

Stafford is indeed seeking a pay raise that would place him closer to the top 10 earners at the position, according to Schultz. This would be an interesting component for Los Angeles, which thus far has only been linked to another restructure. A Stafford push for better guarantees last year did not yield a major win for the QB, who saw the Rams move $5MM from future years into 2024 and had them insert a $4MM 2025 roster bonus as part of that agreement. Even at the time of signing the four-year, $160MM deal, Stafford left money on the table to help the Rams build around him. With the pillars from that point gone or leaving, the NFL’s current 15th-highest-paid player may be angling for a final payday.

When Stafford signed his Rams extension in April 2022, the $50MM-per-year club consisted of only Aaron Rodgers‘ complex Packers contract, one the team traded a year in. There are now nine $50MM-AAV passers, including a few who have not displayed Stafford-level form to date. QBR slotted Stafford sixth in 2023 and 12th in 2024, with both years featuring Kupp injuries; 2024 also brought an extended period without Kupp and Puka Nacua, which nearly submarined the Rams’ season. Stafford helped the team revive it, going from 1-4 to a narrow divisional-round loss to the eventual champion Eagles.

The Rams have not seen Stetson Bennett become a legitimate successor option, and backup Jimmy Garoppolo is a free agent-to-be. This does not seem like the ideal draft for the Rams to address their post-Stafford future; then again, Stafford (when healthy) has proven talented enough he will keep the team away from the early draft slots that would bring franchise-level QBs. This represents an interesting offseason for the four-year Rams starter to strike, if indeed he is intent on securing a new deal. His current pact runs through 2026.

If the Rams do reverse course and give serious consideration to moving on now, Schultz adds a package that includes a first-round pick would be sought. The Rams needed to trade two first-round picks and a third to move Jared Goff‘s contract in the 2021 Stafford swap, and thanks in part to the 2024 restructure, trading Stafford before June 1 would bring a significant dead money charge ($45.33MM). That would check in behind only Russell Wilson and Rodgers’ upcoming Jets hit for largest in NFL history.

Having quickly reformed as a contender following a woeful Super Bowl title-defense season, the Rams would certainly be poised — McVay’s gifts notwithstanding — to take a step back if they traded Stafford. A deal in which another QB comes back would be interesting, and needy teams certainly exist here. Though, a team parting with a starter-caliber quarterback (and a first-round pick) to acquire a soon-to-be 37-year-old with a notable recent injury history would be a tougher scenario to envision. The Combine will provide a better gauge of what Stafford would bring back in a trade.

It is possible this is resolved with the contract adjustment Stafford seeks, though he has not shown an indication he would use a trade request as leverage in a negotiation. The Rams are projected to hold more than $44MM in cap space, which is a mid-pack number. A Kupp trade will bring back a few million more, as the Rams are prepared to take on some salary to facilitate a move. Kupp’s status aside, the lingering Stafford matter — particularly given this year’s available QBs — will be the most significant piece of the Rams’ offseason.

Rams Did Not Approach Cooper Kupp About Pay Cut; Teams Monitoring Matthew Stafford

February 18th, 2025 at 10:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

After eight years with the Rams, Cooper Kupp‘s time with the franchise is set to come to an end. A trade partner is being sought out, and a release before the start of the new league also looms as a possibility.

Since the Super Bowl LVI MVP is due $20MM in 2025 (with a scheduled cap hit of $29.78MM), pulling off a trade could be challenging. The Rams could be prepared to retain money as part of an agreement, something which would likely be necessary to facilitate a swap. A pair of general managers informed Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post Los Angeles is prepared to eat at least $5MM in a potential Kupp trade.

With a release possible before the 31-year-old’s $7.5MM roster bonus is paid out (on March 17), suitors could of course wait for Kupp to hit the open market. Such a scenario could have been avoided with a restructure resulting in a pay cut and reduced salary cap charge. Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports, however, that the Rams never approached the former ‘Triple Crown’ winner about adjusting his pact (subscription required). Los Angeles is clearly prepared to move forward with a receiving corps led by Puka Nacua and a less expensive supporting cast.

Kupp has remained consistent in terms of touchdown production over the past three years (scoring 17 times in that span), but he has seen his yards per game average drop from 90.2 to 61.4 to 59.2 since the start of the 2022 season. Injuries have been an issue in each of those campaigns, something which will hinder the Eastern Washington product’s value. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes, $5MM of Kupp’s pending roster bonus is guaranteed in full, and it includes offset language. It will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds in the lead-in to free agency.

The Kupp circumstances are taking place against the backdrop of renewed uncertainty regarding quarterback Matthew Stafford. Once again in need of a restructured pact, the 37-year-old intends to play in 2025. A fifth season with the Rams would be welcomed by team and player, but speculation has swirled about a potential trade. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes teams around the league are monitoring the Stafford situation, which could very well be resolved with another round of guaranteed compensation being accelerated on his pact.

Led by several young contributors on both sides of the ball, the Rams managed a run to the divisional round of the postseason this past year. Expectations will be high in 2025, but Kupp is set to be on another team next season while uncertainty still looms over whether or not Stafford will still be in place.

Rams, QB Matthew Stafford Likely To Restructure Deal Again

February 17th, 2025 at 5:00pm CST by Ely Allen

FEBRUARY 17: Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated confirms Stafford’s intention is seen as being to remain with the Rams, although speculation to the contrary will likely continue until a restructure is worked out. How quickly team and player can reach an agreement will be key in shaping Los Angeles’ offseason plans.

FEBRUARY 9: Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has been contemplating his future in the NFL, especially considering that one of his top targets, wide receiver Cooper Kupp, is now on the trading block. While initially Stafford was reluctant to confirm that he intended to play in 2025, he announced at the end of January that he wanted to come back for another season. In order to do that, though, the Rams are likely going to need to restructure the 37-year-old’s contract.

Los Angeles did just that a year ago, accelerating future money to increase Stafford’s pay in 2024. It became known during last year’s draft that Stafford was seeking guarantees beyond 2024. He had delivered a healthy and productive season in 2023, putting to rest thoughts of a trade sending him out of Los Angeles or speculation about retirement for the time being. Once again, though, trade speculation has emerged; Stafford has dispelled the rumors of retirement quickly this time around.

Stafford never did get the future security he was seeking. After reaching an agreement on his restructured deal last year, it was reported that the Rams viewed Stafford as a year-to-year proposition. While the team has him under contract for another two years, injuries in 2022 and a decrease in production in the years since have Los Angeles examining its options every offseason.

With the year-to-year approach in place, a quicker resolution to the situation is likely. Stafford is set to carry a cap hit of nearly $50MM next season, and an extension or new reworking of his pact could help lower that figure. He’s set to only make about $27MM in cash in 2025, so a restructure could assist in that regard, as well. Because of this Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report that it’s likely a reworked deal will get done. It will be interesting to see if negotiations can progress on a quicker timeline compared to last year.

Matthew Stafford Plans To Play In 2025

January 29th, 2025 at 10:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

It has not taken long for Matthew Stafford‘s immediate future to become settled. The Rams are set to have their starting quarterback in place once again for 2025.

Stafford has informed the team of his intention of playing next season, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports (video link). His age-37 season will be his fifth in Los Angeles, and expectations will remain high given his level of play when healthy for the Rams. Stafford declined to confirm in the wake of the Rams’ divisional round loss whether or not he would continue his career, although his comments hinted that would be the case.

Shortly thereafter, head coach Sean McVay said the team was hoping to learn of the two-time Pro Bowler’s intentions sooner rather than later. That question has seemingly been put to rest, although Rapoport notes another round of contract adjustments may be in order this offseason. The sides worked out a restructure agreement just ahead of training camp last summer, and Stafford’s 2024 pay was increased as a result.

The terms of that arrangement currently has him on track for only a $4MM roster bonus in terms of locked in compensation (before the start of the regular season, that is) for 2025. Stafford is also set to carry a cap hit of nearly $50MM next season, and an extension or new re-working of his pact could help lower that figure. It will be interesting to see if negotiations can progress on a quicker timeline compared to last year.

While McVay is on the record with allowing Stafford to remain with the Rams as long he wishes to continue his career, the possibility of a trade was floated over the weekend. Moving on from the veteran after June 1 would generate $27MM in cap savings (along with almost $23MM in dead money) for Los Angeles, but it would of course create a major vacancy at the QB spot. No successor is currently in place with Jimmy Garoppolo set to hit free agency and 2023 fourth-rounder Stetson Bennett yet to play a regular season snap.

The Rams are comfortable with proceeding on a year-to-year basis with Stafford, so his future will remain a talking point as long as his career lasts. For now, though, he is on track to suit up for 2025 as the team aims to make another playoff run next season.

Rams Could Consider Matthew Stafford Trade; Latest On Cooper Kupp, Kyren Williams

January 26th, 2025 at 12:12pm CST by Rory Parks

The Rams naturally want to get clarity on quarterback Matthew Stafford’s status sooner rather than later. Although it is not yet a sure thing, it sounds as if the soon-to-be 37-year-old passer is prepared to continue his playing career. His contract, however, continues to be a talking point.

While Stafford is under club control through 2026, last summer’s restructure – which frontloaded most of his guarantees into 2024 – essentially turned his deal into a year-to-year accord. With a $23MM base salary and only $4MM in guaranteed money due in 2025, Stafford’s current pact is a team-friendly one, and therefore one which could be attractive to other clubs in need of a short-term QB fix (even if such a club would need to make an upward adjustment to the contract).

Indeed, both Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic (subscription required) and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk believe that a Stafford trade is on the table. Given that the Rams just advanced to the second round of the playoffs, have a bevy of talented young players, and do not have an immediate Stafford successor in place, such a move would be surprising. That is especially true since Stafford is unlikely to fetch the high-end draft capital that the Rams dealt to the Lions to acquire him several years ago, and since Los Angeles’ first pick in the upcoming draft is the No. 26 overall selection.

Still, GM Les Snead did not shoot down the notion and merely suggested that he would not actively seek a trade.

“[I]t’ll take someone calling or us reaching out if we want to [make a trade],” Snead said (via Florio). “Those are the things that’ll be determined down the road here.”

Of course, hammering out a new or reworked contract with Stafford is also a real possibility. The No. 1 overall pick of the 2009 draft may not be at the height of his powers, but he is still a capable player, and a team like the Rams that has designs on another postseason run in 2025 will be hard-pressed to find an obvious plug-and-play upgrade. Indeed, head coach Sean McVay said last year that he is happy to have Stafford as his QB1 for as long as Stafford wants to play.

Wide receiver Cooper Kupp, another key piece of the club’s recent Super Bowl-winning outfit, is facing an even more uncertain LA future. The 2021 Triple Crown winner has struggled to stay healthy since that historic campaign, playing in 33 of a possible 51 regular season games over the past three years. His production has slipped accordingly, and he finished the 2024 season with 67 catches for 710 yards and six scores in 12 games. He still saw 100 targets but posted a 67% catch percentage, well below the marks he achieved from 2018-2022.

Kupp, 31, has clearly been surpassed by Puka Nacua in the Rams’ WR hierarchy, and his $29.78MM cap number in 2025 could be untenable for Los Angeles. Only $5MM of his $12.5MM base salary is guaranteed, and he has a roster bonus of $7.5MM that will not trigger until March 19. The Rams, who shopped the Eastern Washington product in advance of the 2024 trade deadline, will certainly want to execute a trade or release before that date.

For his part, Kupp confirmed that he will continue his playing career, though he realizes he may have played his last game for the Rams.

“Who knows what is going to happen?” he said. “A lot of stuff is out of my control. We’ll see (what) it’s going to be. There was obviously stuff that was going on early in the season and we’ll see. I don’t have any clarity on what that’s gonna look like. Obviously would love to be in L.A., but I don’t know what that is gonna look like.”

Running back Kyren Williams, on the other hand, looks like he will remain in Southern California for the foreseeable future. Now that he has accrued three years of service time, he is eligible for an extension, and Snead suggested he is amenable to having those conversations with Williams’ camp.

“He’s a Ram,” Snead said of Williams (via Rodrigue, who indicated that is language team brass uses for “heartbeat” players).

“I think [an extension is] something that’s going to be on the plate,” Snead added. “[Williams] would be someone that after three years you could begin discussing, let’s call it, renegotiating, starting anew. Because I do think Kyren is someone who is a Ram and has a very impactful role for us” (via Stu Jackson of the team’s official website).

Williams has seized Los Angeles’ RB1 job over the past two years, earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2023 and tallying 316 carries for 1,299 yards (4.1 YPC) and 16 combined TDs in 2024.

Rams Seeking Clarity On Matthew Stafford’s Playing Future

January 24th, 2025 at 11:08am CST by Adam La Rose

In the immediate aftermath of the Rams’ divisional round loss, Matthew Stafford was asked about his intentions moving forward. He did not confirm he will play in 2025, although his evaluation of his performance suggested the Super Bowl winner feels he can still provide high-end play at this stage of his career.

Stafford is on the books for the next two seasons, but over that span his only guaranteed compensation currently scheduled comes from roster bonuses totaling $9MM. Last offseason, team and player worked out a restructure which enhanced his 2024 earnings but confirmed that a year-to-year approach would be in place. A quicker resolution this time around is being targeted.

“We don’t want to have that go on again,” head coach Sean McVay said in reference to last summer’s contract talks (via ESPN’s Sarah Barshop). “I think sooner than later, being able to get that clarity. Understanding clear, open and honest communication. I think there’s a lot of love coming from our part. I think there’s a lot of appreciation coming from his part as well. And I think a lot sooner than later is an ideal scenario.”

Stafford – who played through four cracked ribs during the latter part of the regular season through the playoffs – will be 37 by the start of the 2025 campaign. The former No. 1 pick posted a 93.7 passer rating this past season, roughly in line with his four-year average with the Rams. He would be expected to remain a dependable starter if healthy moving forward, but if retirement becomes a serious consideration the Rams will of course need to make moves at the quarterback position.

Even if Stafford decides to remain in place for next year (something McVay would be on board with), Los Angeles’ lack of a clear successor under center is a notable issue. Veteran Jimmy Garoppolo is a pending free agent, and a departure on his part this spring would create the need for at least a new high-floor QB2 in 2025. Former fourth-rounder Stetson Bennett remains attached to his rookie contract, but he has yet to play a snap in the regular season.

Given the list of quarterbacks set to be on the market (via free agency or trade) and the fact the Rams are slated to pick 26th in April’s draft, an obvious replacement for Stafford does not exist at this point. One still may not be needed for 2025, but the team will not be able to pivot to other offseason priorities until his future becomes certain.

Rams’ Matthew Stafford Played Through Cracked Ribs This Season

January 22nd, 2025 at 2:56pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said that he had been playing through a rib injury “for some time” after losing to the Eagles in the divisional round, per ESPN’s Sarah Barshop.

Stafford’s wife, Kelly, revealed on her podcast that he cracked four ribs in Week 15 in a 12-6 win over the 49ers, though the 16-year veteran didn’t leave the game. He played every offensive snap in the Rams’ next two games before sitting out in Week 18 with the team’s playoff seeding already locked in. Stafford returned to the field in the playoffs and completed both games despite aggravating his rib injury in Philadelphia.

Stafford has typically been durable throughout his career, starting at least 15 games in eight of the last 10 years, that’s partially due to his willingness to play through injuries. He’ll be 37 years old when the 2025 season starts, which will naturally bring about retirement speculation this offseason. However, Stafford has indicated that he’ll be back next season, and head coach Sean McVay has made it clear that Stafford will be his quarterback as long as he’s in the NFL.

The former Lion is currently set to take up just under $50MM of the Rams’ 2025 salary cap, currently the fifth-highest cap hit in the NFL. Los Angeles could lower that number with an extension for Stafford, who is signed through the 2026 season, but the team’s front office has adopted a year-to-year approach to their veteran signal-caller. They do have to start thinking about Stafford’s successor, either through a draft selection or another McVay reclamation project in free agency.

Matthew Stafford To Contemplate Future

January 20th, 2025 at 9:49am CST by Adam La Rose

The Rams’ season came to an end yesterday, and as a result questions have been raised regarding Matthew Stafford. The Super Bowl-winning quarterback is still under contract, but he and the team are in the midst of a year-to-year approach.

Stafford negotiated a restructured deal this offseason, one which moved up $5MM of his scheduled compensation for the 2024 season. In terms of locked in money moving forward, though, only a $4MM roster bonus due in mid-March remains. Between that financial situation and the fact he will be 37 next season, Stafford’s playing future is a talking point.

“I feel like I was playing some pretty good ball,” the two-time Pro Bowler said when speaking after the Rams’ divisional round loss (via ESPN’s Sarah Barshop). Upon being asked if he can continue playing at this point in his career, Stafford responded, “sure feels like it.”

Those remarks certainly suggest the former No. 1 pick will be willing to play in 2025. Obviously, no firm decision on that front has been made yet, however, and finalizing Stafford’s future will be key before the Rams can move forward. The team was linked to attempting a trade before the 2023 campaign, but he remained in place and delivered a healthy season. That was again the case this year, and Stafford helped lead a team in transition (especially on defense) to the second round of the postseason.

Head coach Sean McVay said in May he is comfortable keeping the longtime Lions starter in the fold as long as he wishes to continue playing. Los Angeles does not have a long-term successor in place, and since veteran Jimmy Garoppolo is a pending free agent the team may need a new backup shortly. Provided Stafford can remain healthy for 2025, however, he should be able to again provide the Rams with strong QB play.

McVay noted Stafford had been dealing with a nagging rib injury through yesterday’s contest, during which the issue was aggravated. A repeat of situations like that – or, of course, more serious ailments – could emerge moving forward considering Stafford’s history and his age. The Rams would be hard-pressed to find an upgrade this offseason, though, and early indications suggest that might not be necessary.

Load More Posts