Matthew Stafford Contract Status

[DzRams]

I don’t think the realistic draft pick return is anywhere near sufficient.

As far as 2026, the Rams are in good shape; and I don’t view $ for free agency to be a solution. Retain your own, build through the draft and augment the roster with specific, low-cost free agent signings.

Free agency is a viable way though. Your philosophy is valid but that doesn't mean the Rams subscribe to it. I think their philosophy is more 1) find elite players to be the core via draft, free agency, or trade, 2) build around that in the draft, and 3) supplement with high or low cost free agent signings when necessary.

I like Garoppolo but think there’s a HUGE difference between him and Stafford.

I agree: there is a huge difference between them, but probably no where close to a 20 fold difference.

Trading Stafford, by your own admission, does not add any meaningful cap space. So how does it make it any easier for the Rams to add top free agents?

Per OTC, if the Rams traded Stafford and Kupp this off-season, they would have 46 players under contract for 2026 (nearly a full roster) and $170m to spend. With that much space they could sign premium free agents this year and next, front loading contracts into the 2026 space.

Trading Stafford completely re-sets the Rams; and, what the Rams have right now … where they are right now … is special, in my opinion; and I don’t take it for granted.

Agreed. Moving Stafford would be punting for 2025 and planning for the future. It's not my preferred option but I understand why the Rams could be contemplating it. Where they are may be special but it's short term at best given Stafford's age.

 

[WestCoastRam]

I love Stafford and I love watching him play in horns. BUT...I think McVay has become too enamored with Stafford's arm-talent and I think it may inhibit his creativity.

When Goff was here, at least in the first few years, the plays looked different. Receivers were schemed wide open with lots of YAC and the screen game was strong, even without Gurley. The plays had a unique feel to them that seems to have vanished in the past 4 years. What we have now is much more pedestrian and not explosive at all and often relies on Matthew threading a needle with the ball.

I think a lesser qb (Jimmie G., Darnold, Zach Wilson...hell, even Daniel Jones) would bring back McVay's imagination with the offense and may be an overall improvement.

Then again, I drink a lot.

You're more cogent than many who drink less on here.

So much to say about this but I'll just say one thing: that offense can't exist anymore. Part of what you're describing was a bye product of scheming against a league dominated by single high safety looks. That's not a thing right now and you're seeing much less space in general for pass catchers to play in with an extra defender back there. In general, every QB has had to live in a less explosive world because of this, of course, having a speedster on offense would help but still, you're not gonna see that kinda fireworks anymore till the D's start changing again.

 

[InfiniteRam]

The viable option is Jimmy Garoppolo. And yes, it makes absolute sense if you're not conceiving of it as a short-term decision. Stafford is nearing retirement. This is a move to retool and look to the future. The Rams have a choice. They can pursue a Super Bowl next year with Stafford, or if a team offers a great deal, we can put our resources into more of a long-term approach.

Jimmy won't win us a Super Bowl, but he can be a competent starter in this scheme. He's a bridge QB. And we use the Stafford trade to build up resources for our next franchise guy. It is a perfectly logical long-term decision, but yes, it means accepting that we almost certainly won't win a Super Bowl in 2025. It all depends on what McVay and Snead are thinking.

Worse QB's than Jimmy G have won Super Bowls. Just saying.

 

[WestCoastRam]

You didn't finish the list of what they get.

Draft picks?
2026 cap space.

Reports are that they like Garoppolo and he would be the back up option if they can't work things out with Stafford. He was under contract for $3 mil this year. Maybe they feel that Stafford isn't worth 17 Garoppolos.

Or maybe they feel they can get Garoppolo, Higgins and Reed or Ward for the same price as Stafford.

Rolling with Stafford is definitely option #1, but that's not to say that there are no other viable paths forward.

Please no on Ward or any QB in this draft. If Rams were to even entertain this, I would hope Snead is looking ahead to the 2026 class.

That being said, regimes that are worried about being fired will take Ward and Sanders at 1-2 and all this talk will be for naught.

It's the 2013 QB draft class all over again.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Worse QB's than Jimmy G have won Super Bowls. Just saying.

Honestly, if this was the Jimmy of two years ago, I'd at least entertain this.

But...

 

[InfiniteRam]

Honestly, if this was the Jimmy of two years ago, I'd at least entertain this.

But...

I get it, but if McVay is willing to switch up the offense to move 12 personnel, and grind it on the ground ... with the young defense, they'd had a shot to be very competitive, even with Jimmy G.

 

[dieterbrock]

In return for Stafford ...
The Rans get almost no cap relief ... have $45M in Dead-$ ... with no viable option at quarterback.

THAT makes sense?

If Stafford plays such hard ball that they have no choice but to trade him?
Then yes it makes sense.

 

[WestCoastRam]

I get it, but if McVay is willing to switch up the offense to move 12 personnel, and grind it on the ground ... with the young defense, they'd had a shot to be very competitive, even with Jimmy G.

I'd say they'd have a shot at being competitive. But not "very" with Jimmy.

Look, I think entertaining what it would look like to move on from Stafford is a worthwhile exercise this year (if we could somehow square the cap hit) but in doing that, you're gonna take some crazy lumps next year without a QB. Jimmy's not it. No QB drafted this year will be. And I don't think anyone from the FA market will be it.

If I'm entertaining this, it's with the idea that I can be around a .500 team next year with a bleh QB and then drafting the QB of the future with picks in 2026.

 

[FrantikRam]

I'd say they'd have a shot at being competitive. But not "very" with Jimmy.

Look, I think entertaining what it would look like to move on from Stafford is a worthwhile exercise this year (if we could somehow square the cap hit) but in doing that, you're gonna take some crazy lumps next year without a QB. Jimmy's not it. No QB drafted this year will be. And I don't think anyone from the FA market will be it.

If I'm entertaining this, it's with the idea that I can be around a .500 team next year with a bleh QB and then drafting the QB of the future with picks in 2026.

Can we say "no QB drafted this year will be"? Doubt many people had Bo Nix doing what he did this year and we have a better offense around a rookie QB. You would also have to assume we spend the cap savings if Stafford moves on and if that's the case, we would likely have one of the better rosters around the QB in the entire NFL

 

[Flatlyner]

I honestly think Hooker would be good in this offense. That said, Lions have no reason to trade him and he hasn't played much.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Okay, here's a question:

Betting odds, percentages, whatever....

At the end of the day, how likely is it Stafford is a Ram next season?

I'd say 80%.

 

[dang]

The viable option is Jimmy Garoppolo. And yes, it makes absolute sense if you're not conceiving of it as a short-term decision. Stafford is nearing retirement. This is a move to retool and look to the future. The Rams have a choice. They can pursue a Super Bowl next year with Stafford, or if a team offers a great deal, we can put our resources into more of a long-term approach.

Jimmy won't win us a Super Bowl, but he can be a competent starter in this scheme. He's a bridge QB. And we use the Stafford trade to build up resources for our next franchise guy. It is a perfectly logical long-term decision, but yes, it means accepting that we almost certainly won't win a Super Bowl in 2025. It all depends on what McVay and Snead are thinking.

For next year Stafford would give us the best chance to compete with PHI. I don’t see a rookie or G-String able to beat PHI. So if you don’t care about next year and are willing to wait 2-3 years until a rookie bucks up front- a Stafford trade is for you. But I think McVay sees a chance to take a bite of the golden apple next year - and that would involve Stafford or a trade for another vet that no one has on their radar screen (something wild like Stafford going to MIN, MCCarthy going to LAC, Herbert going to LAR).

 

[Loyal]

That's what I see ... Thanks

So, if the Rams trade Stafford ...
The Rams lose a top-tier-quarterbck that has led them to the playoffs in three of the past four seasons
... has played exceptionally well in all seven playoff games over that period ... won a Super Bowl.
The past two playoff seasons have been great fun to watch ... re-bounded from 3-6 and 1-4 starts
... enjoyed terrific comebacks and a ton of close victories.
Last year they gave the Lions all they could handle in Detroit ... Detroit should have played in the Super Bowl
... this season they had the Eagles in Philadelphia ... the team that destroyed all it's OTHER playoff opponents.

In return for Stafford ...
The Rans get almost no cap relief ... have $45M in Dead-$ ... with no viable option at quarterback.

THAT makes sense?

There you go again, wrecking fantasy GM's offseason...

 

[Ellard80]

Okay, here's a question:

Betting odds, percentages, whatever....

At the end of the day, how likely is it Stafford is a Ram next season?

I'd say 80%.

Yeah something around that...maybe a bit higher.

I think it's in both parties best interest to stick together for at least another year or two.

 

[Allen2McVay]

There you go again, wrecking fantasy GM's offseason...

I am a Killer of Joy

 

[El Chapo Jr]

Yeah, I think there’s some naivety in that thinking.

I also think some posters don’t appreciate just how difficult it is to be where the Rams are right now … with Stafford at QB.

Trust me, I don't want Stafford to not be in horns but if he makes this difficult, then what option do the Rams have? If he's putting us signing our young stars to extensions at risk, it is very much worth it to weigh that out. I truly appreciate where Stafford has gotten us and do not take that for granted. If it was as easy as just pay the man, it would be done by now. The Rams still have a team to run and if Stafford is being unreasonable (not saying he is nor do I know this) then I'm more than ok with the decision to trade him. Will I like the outcome.....nope. However, wouldn't that open a shit ton of cap for 2026? That's where I'm saying the Rams are obviously weighing it out. If this wasn't the case, once again, why isn't it a done deal?

 

[WestCoastRam]

I am a Killer of Joy

No blue font, I see...

 

[WestCoastRam]

Trust me, I don't want Stafford to not be in horns but if he makes this difficult, then what option do the Rams have? If he's putting us signing our young stars to extensions at risk, it is very much worth it to weigh that out. I truly appreciate where Stafford has gotten us and do not take that for granted. If it was as easy as just pay the man, it would be done by now. The Rams still have a team to run and if Stafford is being unreasonable (not saying he is nor do I know this) then I'm more than ok with the decision to trade him. Will I like the outcome.....nope. However, wouldn't that open a shit ton of cap for 2026? That's where I'm saying the Rams are obviously weighing it out. If this wasn't the case, why isn't it a done deal?

This... and I'm sure there are people on here who've done their fair share of negotiations... is all fairly standard.

Nothing, including the timing, should lead us to believe this isn't getting done.

Now maybe new information will arise but this is all par for the course.

No one's going to move before they need to move here and with Stafford saying he's coming back to play for another year, the urgency doesn't need to be there.

I would not be shocked if the Rams haven't even given him a proposal yet.

 

[El Chapo Jr]

Please no on Ward or any QB in this draft. If Rams were to even entertain this, I would hope Snead is looking ahead to the 2026 class.

That being said, regimes that are worried about being fired will take Ward and Sanders at 1-2 and all this talk will be for naught.

It's the 2013 QB draft class all over again.

Saying a rookie is going to suck before he ever plays is crazy to me. Is it being ranked a weak class? Yes. Doesn't mean that none of the QBs in this draft will develop into something special. I'd trust McVay way more than anyone on here if he feels that he can do something with a young QB. Would I be nervous about it? Hell yeah I would lol. I stated a while back that McVay hasn't developed a young QB and had enough patience to keep him around long term. We all thought that was the case with Goff but he couldn't wait for him to obviously develop more under his tutelage.

 

[Allen2McVay]

No blue font, I see...

I was on-the-fence.

Obviously, I am a very funny guy.

Seriously though, I have enjoyed the hell out of the past two seasons; and would be very disappointed to see the Rams make a change at quarterback. Without legit draft pick compensation and significant cap relief, I don't see anything positive in moving-on from Matthew Stafford at this time.

I posted a while ago, and still strongly believe that the Rams need him and know it; and that Stafford knows the Rams are, by far, the best place for him to be ... AND ... they will work things out.

And ... I am right about this stuff 31.4% of the time ... See! ... Funny!!!