Stafford wants more guaranteed money added to his contract, Cameron DaSilva of USA Today reports. The 36-year-old has three years remaining on his contract but no guarantees beyond 2024. He's been present at voluntary OTAs throughout the offseason, leading a Rams offense that will return all but one starter (C Coleman Shelton) from last year. G Jonah Jackson and TE Colby Parkinson were the big offseason additions, with the former allowing Steve Avila to slide over to center and the latter likely replacing Tyler Higbee (torn ACL) as a starter early in the season. Stafford apparently intends to play at least a few more years and will have WRs Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp as his primary targets for the foreseeable future.
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Status
ACTIVELatest Matthew Stafford news
Team
Los Angeles Rams
Birthdate
2/7/1988 (36)
Status
Active
HT/WT
6'3", 214 lbs
Draft Info
2009: Rd 1; Pk (DET)
Birthplace
Tampa, FL, USA
Position
QB
College
Georgia
Experience
16 seasons
Career History
Los Angeles Rams
2021-Present
(3 seasons)
Detroit Lions
2009-2021
(12 seasons)
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Stafford wants more guaranteed money added to his contract, Cameron DaSilva of USA Today reports. The 36-year-old has three years remaining on his contract but no guarantees beyond 2024. He's been present at voluntary OTAs throughout the offseason, leading a Rams offense that will return all but one starter (C Coleman Shelton) from last year. G Jonah Jackson and TE Colby Parkinson were the big offseason additions, with the former allowing Steve Avila to slide over to center and the latter likely replacing Tyler Higbee (torn ACL) as a starter early in the season. Stafford apparently intends to play at least a few more years and will have WRs Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp as his primary targets for the foreseeable future.
Stafford's yardage total wasn't particularly remarkable, but his four-touchdown afternoon made the veteran quarterback an unlikely fantasy star in Week 12. Stafford's multi-touchdown tally was only his second of the season and consisted of scoring tosses to Tyler Higbee (seven, five yards) and Kyren Williams (15, three yards) while pushing his season-long total to 13 in 10 games. Making Stafford's prolific scoring day all the more remarkable was the fact it didn't come with the aid of noteworthy performances from either Cooper Kupp or Puka Nacua, and he'll now look to put together a successful encore in a Week 13 home matchup against a Browns defense that's been much more generous against the pass on the road.
Coach Sean McVay doesn't expect Stafford to have any limitations in terms of taking snaps from under center vs. the shotgun. It remains to be seen if the Rams list their starting QB as a full or limited participant, but either way he's on the right track to return after a bye week and face the Seahawks this Sunday.
The Week 10 bye came at a good time for Stafford after he was forced to miss Week 9 versus Green Bay. The offense got nothing going with Brett Rypien under center, and Rypien was eventually waived a couple days later. Los Angeles has since signed Carson Wentz to be Stafford's backup going forward. Stafford's return to the lineup will be a boost to Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua and the entire offense.
With Stafford inactive for Sunday's game against the Packers, Brett Rypien drew the start at QB in his place, but with the benefit of a Week 10 bye, it appears as though the Rams are hopeful Stafford will miss only one game due to an ulnar collateral ligament sprain in his right thumb, per ESPN.com. The team hosts Seattle on Sunday, Nov. 19, and more context regarding Stafford's Week 11 status will arrive once the the Rams resume practicing ahead of that contest.
Stafford hasn't logged any on-field work since suffering a sprained UCL in his right thumb last Sunday in Dallas. He ended up being listed as questionable for Week 9 action, but as McVay indicated, Stafford was a long shot to be available in the end. The Rams have a Week 10 bye, so Stafford will have two more weeks to rest up before the team's next game Sunday, Nov. 19 against the Seahawks. Brett Rypien stepped in for Stafford this Sunday, completing 13 of 28 passes for 130 yards, no touchdowns and one interception, tallying three carries for 19 yards and fumbling twice (one lost).
Stafford was knocked out of the Rams' Week 8 loss at Dallas late in the second quarter and was unable to return after injuring his right thumb. He eventually was diagnosed with a sprained UCL in the appendage, which didn't allow him to practice Wednesday through Friday. McVay has considered Stafford day-to-day all along, and the coach even added Friday that he's willing to "take it all the way up until game time" before making a decision on the quarterback's availability for Sunday, per Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times. With a 1:00 p.m. kickoff on tap, Stafford's status will have clarity before the early slate of games, and if he ends up inactive, the Rams will roll with Brett Rypien under center.
As a result, Stafford is considered day-to-day as Sunday's game against the Packers approaches. While it remains to be seen if the veteran quarterback is able to play this weekend, as Adam Grosbard of The Orange County Register notes, Stafford has avoided a worst-case scenario with regard to his thumb issue. If Stafford is unable to gain clearance to face Green Bay, Brett Rypien would be in line to draw the start at QB for the Rams in Week 9.
Stafford could miss time due to the right thumb injury he sustained during Sunday's loss to Dallas, but his X-rays have at least returned somewhat good news. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that Stafford is still 'up in the air,' while Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports that the Rams remain in the process of evaluating the quarterback situation. With a road matchup in a potentially chilly Green Bay on deck for Week 9, and then a bye, it's possible that Los Angeles could decide on rest as the best decision for Stafford's health. Brett Rypien would be in line to start versus the Packers if Stafford is unable to go.