The Los Angeles Rams have not shut the door on potentially retaining quarterback Matthew Stafford long-term, but the two sides do appear to be nowhere close to an extension. Rumors have swirled early on this offseason that the Rams could trade Stafford to avoid making a hefty financial commitment to an aging quarterback.
Rams and Matthew Stafford apart on extension talks
The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue reported that the two sides have made minimal progress up to this point:
“The sides met to talk before the Super Bowl, although not much progressed after their opening conversations, and will pick back up in the coming weeks, a league source said,” Rodrigue said.
Despite Stafford’s older age of 37, he is still a solid quarterback who has proven that he can lead a team to success. This past season, he threw 3,762 passing yards, and 20 touchdowns, and boasted a completion rate of 65.8%. The Rams went 10-6 in his 16 starts.
His efforts helped Los Angeles reach the postseason for the second consecutive season, though they fell short in the Divisional Round to the eventual Super Bowl champions the Philadelphia Eagles. Nevertheless, Stafford can still make a positive impact on the Rams, but the team is uncertain about committing to him financially given his age.
The Rams might not want to commit to Stafford financially
On Stafford’s current deal, he is projected to make a base salary of $23 million but he comes with a $49.7 million cap hit. The Rams might want to shed some money on their payroll and take a risk by going with a cheaper option under center.
That could also mean that they risk lowering their chances of reaching the Super Bowl, but it could be a risk worth taking for them. Teams that are in desperate need of a quarterback might be willing to bring in Stafford to get them in the right direction. The New York Giants are among the teams that are expected to make a push for Stafford this offseason.
Stafford’s future in Los Angeles remains uncertain, and it will be interesting to see if his next contract comes from the Rams or a different team.
