Could the Rams’ Matthew Stafford be on his way out of L.A.?
With the news that one of the key contributors to the Los Angeles Rams 2021 championship squad is likely on his way out of town, it’s looking like another has a chance to follow.
According to reports from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport, the Rams have given quarterback Matthew Stafford’s agent permission to speak to other teams.
As Rapoport noted on X, formerly Twitter, Stafford did not request a trade. The fact that he’s allowed to talk to other teams doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be moving on from the Rams.
The intent, as of Saturday, is for Stafford and his agent to figure out what his contract should be worth.
The 37-year-old QB was traded to L.A. from the Detroit Lions in 2021 in exchange for Jared Goff and several draft picks. A month after winning the Super Bowl with the Rams in February 2022, he signed a 4-year, $160 million contract extension.
However, the Rams can save $27 million in salary cap space by trading him after June 1. The current discussions are likely for Stafford to see if he could get one last significant payday from another squad, or if it would be in his best interest to restructure his deal with the Rams once again.
If the situation deteriorates, however, the potential is there for the Rams to ship Stafford off to finish his career elsewhere. A few weeks before the start of NFL free agency and more than two months before the NFL Draft, the only other QBs on the Rams roster are Jimmy Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett — and the latter of which has never appeared in a regular season game.
A potential trade would likely result in L.A. bringing in a new quarterback through free agency or the draft. Options on the market include Sam Darnold, who resurrected his career with the Minnesota Vikings last season, or 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers.
The news comes after the Rams told wide receiver Cooper Kupp that they are shopping him to other teams this offseason. Kupp has been a terrific pairing with Stafford over the last four seasons, and was named Super Bowl MVP in 2022.