The Los Angeles Rams have some work to do this offseason but they can’t do anything until they sort out the situation with Matthew Stafford. The veteran quarterback is signed through 2026 but he wants a new contract after restructuring his deal last year to move guaranteed money from future years to 2024.
As a result, he has just $27 million in cash due to him this year with only $4 million in guaranteed salary. The Rams want to get a new deal done with Stafford but there’s no certainty they’ll be able to work something out.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported on “Sportscenter” Sunday that Stafford will have a “robust” trade market if the Rams decide to move on from the quarterback.
“Sources with the team have told me that the Rams do have strong interest in keeping Matthew Stafford, that they hope to work something out,” he said. “But his contract, as of now, with almost a $50 million cap hit, and only $27 million in cash due to him, is untenable. He’s going to need a new deal and if for some reason they can’t work that out, there will be a strong trade market for Matthew Stafford. It will be robust. A lot of teams would be in on that as the top option.”
Stafford plans to play in 2025 so it’s not exactly a question of whether he’ll retire or not, but rather if he and the Rams can agree to a new contract.
In the event that Los Angeles trades Stafford, Aaron Rodgers is one name to watch. Fowler floated the possibility of Rodgers replacing Stafford “if something crazy happens” and the Rams can’t bring back No. 9.
“And then we’re going to connect dominoes, you’re looking at the Los Angeles Rams – if they move on from Matthew Stafford,” he said. “The expectation is they want to get something done with Stafford, but if something crazy happens, Aaron Rodgers lives in L.A. in the offseason, maybe something would come together.”
Stafford is viewed as the biggest domino of the offseason, and with many teams expected to be interested in acquiring him, they could be waiting to see if he’ll be available before doing anything else at the position. If Stafford stays, those quarterback-needy teams could turn their attention to players like Rodgers, Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold.