The Los Angeles Rams were able to avert a crisis as they worked with Matthew Stafford to resolve the contract situation that popped up earlier in the offseason.
Stafford wanted more guaranteed money on his current deal and he got his wish right as training camp began. Now, both sides can move forward together in their partnership and try their hand at competing for another playoff spot during the 2024 season.
A healthy Stafford is one of the best quarterbacks in the league and he proved it with a bounce-back campaign in 2023. Stafford looked like his normal self on the field, slinging the football downfield and finding receivers for tough throws that are barely open.
Chicago Bears rookie Caleb Williams has watched a lot of Stafford tape and had high praise for him, via Up & Adams:
“When he was playing for Detroit, I enjoyed watching him but I was younger and I didn’t really understand and then I got older and older and then I started to understand his game,” Williams said. “He’s unbelievable. There’s a couple of plays where he’ll get a play-action, and then he has the backer on a string. He wants the backer to go here, he’ll go there. Throw it right behind his head at the perfect touch, perfect velocity. He’s unbelievable.”
Williams then went on to complain about Stafford’s ranking in the NFL Top 100, saying he should have been listed much higher:
“I don’t know how…I think he was 46 on Top 100? 56, Top 100? He was something unbelievable that he shouldn’t have been. I was not happy. Matthew Stafford is probably…I don’t think I can name three quarterbacks that play the position better than Matthew Stafford.”
The Bears quarterback then goes as far as to call Stafford a top-2 quarterback in the league just behind Aaron Rodgers:
“Aaron Rodgers right now in the game is my No. 1 QB. Obviously last year he got hurt and things like that, so that kind of varies for Top 100. Matthew is top-2 in the league.”
It’s quite the take for Williams to make given that Patrick Mahomes is generally considered the consensus best-player in the NFL, but it goes to show how much respect Stafford’s earned through the years.
Rome Odunze chasing after Rams’ Puka Nacua’s rookie receiving record
Like Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze’s got an appreciation for Rams players as he spoke highly of Puka Nacua. Odunze was a highly-touted prospect and said he’s gunning for Nacua’s rookie receiving record.
