Rams receive extra concerning update about Matthew Stafford, and they should strongly consider realistic alternatives at quarterback
Matthew Stafford’s injury situation is not looking better by the day. On Wednesday, NFL Network’s insider Ian Rapoport reported that the veteran quarterback is dealing with an aggravated disc and has received an epidural to help him deal with the pain. The expectation is still that Stafford will be ready to play against the Houston […]
Matthew Stafford’s injury situation is not looking better by the day. On Wednesday, NFL Network’s insider Ian Rapoport reported that the veteran quarterback is dealing with an aggravated disc and has received an epidural to help him deal with the pain. The expectation is still that Stafford will be ready to play against the Houston Texans in Week 1, on Sept. 7, but the Rams are running out of time to look for viable alternatives beyond current backup Jimmy Garoppolo.
The big-picture problem for the Rams is that Stafford is already 37 years old, and back problems could linger. Since the Rams acquired him in 2021, the quarterback had some other issues and lost games, including a spinal cord contusion in 2022, but back problems tend to be concerning as well—especially considering his age.
Beyond Stafford, the Rams have a veteran backup in Garoppolo that head coach Sean McVay seems to trust. He started a game against the Seattle Seahawks last season, and the Rams lost 30-25, but he had a decent performance and finished the game with a 97.0 passer rating.
“There’s no doubt in my mind [Garoppolo] is a starting quarterback in this league,” McVay told Kay Adams earlier this year. “I think he’ll get a chance to be able to do that again. Having Jimmy has been a real blessing.”
The roster also has two developmental quarterbacks—Stetson Bennett, a fourth-round pick in 2023, and Dresser Winn, who’s in his third stint with Los Angeles and looks more like a camp arm at this point.
Financial considerations
The Rams gave Matthew Stafford a new two-year, $84 million contract this offseason. The team can realistically get out of the deal next season, when there are no guarantees left before the fifth day of the league year, but there would still be $41.8 million in dead money to hit the cap. Stafford is making $44 million this season, with a $40 million team option for next year.
Options
Ideally, the Rams could look for a younger quarterback with some long-term potential. But the free agent market doesn’t have these types of options in August—the best free agent is probably Carson Wentz, who was the Rams backup quarterback in 2023.
Considering that Kirk Cousins and Jameis Winston are older pieces, and trading for them could not solve Los Angeles’ real issues, players like Dallas Cowboys’ Joe Milton and Green Bay Packers’ Malik Willis would be reasonable options.
But the reality is that it will be hard for the Rams to find a long-term answer right now. More likely than not, the team will have to move forward with a combination of Stafford, when possible, and Garoppolo, and look for real long-term scenarios next offseason.
It’s certainly not where general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay would want to be, but that’s life when your quarterback is reaching 40 in the NFL.
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