The Los Angeles Rams are heading into an intriguing offseason that could see them choose between several different directions. One of those directions involves the future of veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford and whether or not he’ll remain the starter in 2025.
Stafford is, without a doubt, one of the best starting quarterbacks in football. He pushed the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles to the brink in the postseason in the midst of a blizzard, and the Rams would continue to be contenders in the NFC if he remained the starter.
But he is 37 years old and the Rams could save upwards of $27 million against the salary cap by trading Stafford, according to Over the Cap. And if L.A. feels they can build a contending roster with a cheaper quarterback, perhaps it’s an option they’d consider, rather than giving Stafford a new contract.
One player who is avidly against the concept is defensive end Kobie Turner. A staple of the Rams defense, Turner went out on a limb for Stafford and threw his support behind the champion signal caller, via Brian T. Smith of TalkSport:
“Nine is my quarterback,” Turner exclusively told talkSPORT, referencing Stafford’s jersey number.
“If we go a different direction, then obviously we’ll pivot. But at the end of the day, Matthew Stafford is my quarterback.
“I trust him. There’s nobody else that I’d rather go into one of those situations where you really need the quarterback to step up and lead a drive than Matthew Stafford.
“I think he loves being a Ram and the Rams definitely love having him. And we as a team, we rally behind him.”
Perhaps Turner’s comments will be taken into account by the Rams when they weigh potential trade offers for Stafford. Or, it’s possible that the team has no real interest in dealing him away regardless. But it’s great to see a player from the Rams defense throw such strong support behind the quarterback.
It’s that type of respect and chemistry that can elevate a football team from good to great, and with all the right pieces, the Rams feel like a team on the verge of re-ascending into that category.
Sean McVay discusses Matthew Stafford rumors
Matthew Stafford’s contract situation with the Rams is one of the bigger storylines league-wide at the moment, as they figure out if the quarterback will be playing elsewhere next season.
Stafford is only set to make $27 million this season and none of it is guaranteed, so naturally he would like a new deal. Even at age 37, Stafford is still one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
The Rams are operating on a budget though so clearly don’t want to pay Stafford near the top of the quarterback market money at his age. That has led to a stalemate and the Rams allowing Stafford to speak with other teams to gauge what he is worth.
Rams head coach Sean McVay, who is very close with Stafford, spoke about the situation publicly for the first time and expressed his desire to keep the quarterback he won a Super Bowl with.
