After making the postseason this past year, the Los Angeles Rams will look to build on that momentum during the 2024 NFL season.
Head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead signaled they are looking to completely shift to their new tough and physical-minded identity on the field after the flurry of offseason moves they made. Not only did they invest in their offensive line, but they also addressed their defensive line concerns in the 2024 NFL Draft.
However, the biggest beneficiary of the moves might be Matthew Stafford, who will have better protection up front. Stafford started the 2023 slow but quickly picked things up in the second half of the year to lead the Rams to the Wild Card.
Stafford looks like he’s got a few good years left in him and reports indicate that he wants to re-do his contract to add more guaranteed money.
McVay was asked about that report and it seems that he and Stafford are on the same page about wanting the team’s quarterback to stick around for as long as he’s willing to play, via Mad Dog Sports Radio:
“As long as he wants to play,” McVay said. “I thought he played his best ball that he’s played down the stretch for us. He was a key factor in leading us to a 7-1 finish. Obviously Carson [Wentz] came in and did a good job against the Niners when we had already kind of clinched our playoff spot. But I thought he was excellent at Detroit. I thought he was excellent in the second half of the season after he comes back off of the injury where he missed some time with the thumb, missing the Green Bay game and half of the Dallas game. But he was disciplined, he was seeing the field, he was being able to get all his eligibles involved. He had such great command and ownership of what we were doing, and then he was able to create off schedule. And it’s a real credit to the work that he puts in.
“I think the best way that you can demonstrate authentic leadership is modeling the way. He’s been doing that here with us this week. He’s done that with his guys at the beginning, parts of Phase 1 in the offseason program. And, you know, we’re taking it a year at a time, but as long as he wants to play, we’re fortunate to have him as our quarterback and you know how lucky I feel to have him doing that.”
McVay and Stafford’s partnership has already produced one Super Bowl championship and it stands to reason that the two will stick together until the wheels fall off.
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