The Matthew Stafford saga continues.
The Los Angeles Rams are granting Stafford’s camp permission to talk with different groups because the quarterback seeks to restructure his contract as soon as once more. In accordance with Over the Cap, Stafford is about to obtain $49.6 million in 2025, however has solely $4 million in assured cash over the ultimate two years of his contract. The contract, signed again in 2022, was restructured final summer time as Stafford briefly contemplated retirement following two injury-laden seasons in 2022 and 2023.
Whether or not or not Stafford will be part of one other workforce stays to be seen, however it isn’t fully out of the query. NFL Community’s Tom Pelissero instructed “The Wealthy Eisen Present” on Friday that Stafford’s agent has not been given permission to debate a commerce, however to speak with different organizations about how a lot they might be keen to pay the QB if he have been to be traded out of Los Angeles.
“My understanding has been that the Rams have been in conversations together with his agent, that they’ve additionally given his agent permission to speak to different golf equipment simply to determine, ‘Hey, if he grew to become obtainable, if there have been a commerce, what have been the numbers be elsewhere?’” Pelissero stated (through RamsWire). “That takes care of a number of issues. It takes care of, primary, what Matthew Stafford may get if we acquired to a commerce since you wouldn’t be capable to execute a Matthew Stafford commerce with out having a brand new deal in place, but additionally, it offers the Rams an concept, and Stafford an concept of, ‘Hey, we’re going to attempt to work collectively. Are we going to have the ability to work out a contract to maintain him in L.A.?’
The responses from the opposite groups are prone to play a serious function within the development of the negotiation course of, giving each side a greater concept of whether or not Stafford will stay with the Rams in 2025. With Los Angeles saying plans to commerce Cooper Kupp, Stafford may additionally be gone if he and the Rams attain an deadlock.
Stafford began 16 video games for Los Angeles in 2024 earlier than resting for Week 18 in opposition to the Seattle Seahawks. In his age-36 marketing campaign, Stafford went 340-for-517 passing for 3,762 yards and 20 touchdowns. The Rams gained the NFC West to advance to the playoffs for the third time since buying Stafford, shedding to the Philadelphia Eagles 28-22 within the Divisional Spherical.
It’s too early to inform whether or not Stafford will nonetheless be in Los Angeles in 2025, however as soon as talks start to warmth up, it ought to be fascinating to see the place he’s anticipated to land.
