Matthew Stafford

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is reportedly seeking a restructured contract this offseason, but it sounds like it won't jeopardize his status for training camp.

Per Steve Wyche of NFL Network, Rams head coach Sean McVay said he expects Stafford to be present at the start of training camp next month. Wyche added that while Stafford is "hoping to rework his contract," McVay said those negotiations will remain "in-house."

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported in April that Stafford is "seeking an adjustment to his contract that would provide him with more guaranteed money beyond the 2024 season." He's set to make $31 million this year and has two non-guaranteed seasons remaining on his contract after 2024.

Despite being unhappy with his deal, Stafford has participated in OTAs and is in attendance for the Rams' mandatory minicamp this week, so it seems like McVay is right in not being worried about his status for training camp. Still, it would be best for Los Angeles to keep the veteran signal-caller happy.

Stafford is coming off a 2023 campaign in which he was selected to his second career Pro Bowl after throwing for 3,965 yards, 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 15 games. He helped lead the Rams to a 10-7 finish and a berth in the playoffs, where they lost to the Detroit Lions in the NFC Wild Card Round.

At 36 years old, Stafford is hoping to provide himself with more security in his contract beyond this year. The team could be hesitant due to his age and recent injury history, as he missed eight games in 2022 after leading the team to a Super Bowl title in the 2021 season.

Still, Stafford is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFC when healthy, so the Rams would be wise to meet his contract requests.

The Los Angeles Rams were a pleasant surprise in the 2023 season, going 10-7 and reaching the postseason after a 5-12 year in 2022.

Running back Kyren Williams and rookie wideout Puka Nacua emerged as ascendant young stars, Matt Stafford had a strong year after an injury-plagued 2022 and the Rams gave the Detroit Lions all they could handle in the Wild Card Round before losing 24-23.

Expectations are high heading into this season. Below, we'll take a look at the schedule the team will face as it looks to return to the postseason.

2024 Rams Schedule

Analysis

Losing Aaron Donald to retirement was a major loss, no doubt, but the team addressed a number of needs in free agency, signing cornerbacks Tre'Davious White and Darious Williams, safety Kamren Curl, tight end Colby Parkinson and guard Jonah Jackson, alongside re-signing guard Kevin Dotson.

There were free-agent losses as well, but alongside the draft selections of players like defensive end Jared Verse, defensive tackle Braden Fiske, running back Blake Corum and safety Kamren Kinchens, among others, the Rams feel like an improved bunch heading into 2024.

They'll need it against a schedule that features seven games against teams that reached the postseason a year ago.

Still, this a manageable collection of matchups, especially since five of the games against playoff teams from a year ago come at SoFi Stadium.

The Rams should be favored in matchups against the Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and New England Patriots, while teams like the Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints and New York Jets should be tougher opponents than their 2023 records might suggest.

Pivotal Matchups

The San Francisco 49ers will be the prohibitive favorites to win the NFC West, so if the Rams want to have any chance of claiming the division, they'll need to at least split the season series. No small task, considering the Niners are 9-1 against the Rams dating back to the 2019 season (and last year's win came in Week 18, with both teams already locked into playoff berths and resting a number of key starters).

A rematch against the Lions will also be circled on the calendar. Detroit is one of the NFL's up-and-coming teams and was a 17-point blown lead away from the Super Bowl against San Francisco. The Lions will provide a solid litmus test for the Rams.

Another NFC contender, the Philadelphia Eagles, will provide a similar challenge. Philly's 2023 season ended in disaster, but not before beating the Rams in October. The Eagles had a strong offseason, led by the signing of star running back Saquon Barkley, and should be one of the better offenses and passing games the rebuilt secondary faces.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay opened up about Matthew Stafford's desire for a new contract.

Speaking to reporters after day two of the 2024 NFL draft, McVay said the team has "had good dialogue" with their star quarterback and they are "going to try to figure it out."

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Friday that Stafford wants "more guaranteed money" added to his contract.

Stafford has three years remaining on the four-year, $160 million extension he signed with the Rams in March 2022. His deal includes $31 million in guaranteed money for the 2024 season, but none over the final two years.

Despite the contract issues, Rapoport noted Stafford "has been in the building" for the Rams during their offseason activities.

There was some buzz leading up to the draft that the Rams might target a quarterback who could eventually replace the 36-year-old Stafford. Team COO Kevin Demoff admitted in February they would look into that possibility.

"I don't think that that would discourage us from taking another swing at a quarterback prospect but it has to be the right one," Demoff said at an even for Rams season-ticket holders. "When you walk in thinking you need it is when you make mistakes."

The Rams haven't used any of their picks on a quarterback through the first three rounds. Three of their first four picks have been on the defensive side of the ball, with their lone offensive selection being running back Blake Corum in the third round.

Stafford had a successful rebound year in 2023 after an injury-plagued 2022 left some doubts about his long-term outlook in the NFL.

A two-time Pro Bowler, Stafford threw for 3,965 yards and 24 touchdowns in 15 starts last season. He finished eighth in NFL MVP voting to help the Rams make the playoffs as a wild-card team.

The Rams originally acquired Stafford from the Detroit Lions in March 2021. He led them to a victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl 56 in his first season with the club.

Matthew Stafford is reportedly looking for a bigger contract with the Los Angeles Rams.

On NFL Network on Thursday, Ian Rappoport reported that the quarterback is looking for an adjusted contract with "more guaranteed money."

"My understanding is Matthew Stafford, while he has been in the building, does want an adjustment on his contract, does want more guaranteed money past this year," Rapoport reported. "He believes he has a lot left. A little bit of a lingering issue this offseason for the Rams."

Stafford signed a four-year, $160 million contract in 2022, with $130 million of that being guaranteed money.

Stafford had 3,965 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2023 and was just shy of beating the Detroit Lions in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

Stafford helped lead the Rams to a Super Bowl in 2021 and has been a valuable addition since joining Los Angeles, but his age could pose a risk for giving him a big contract. While the 36-year-old is still performing well, he could begin tapering off and leave the Rams in a bind financially.

It's not clear whether Stafford is prepared to hold out over a new contract, but the discussion will give Los Angeles another problem to solve this offseason.

If a holdout from Stafford is on the way, the Rams could be in a bind to start the year. They picked up Jimmy Garoppolo to serve as a backup, but if Stafford doesn't play to start the year, Garoppolo won't be able to suit up as he will be serving a two-game suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing substance policy.

In the meantime, Los Angeles will look to reach an agreement with Stafford to avoid that scenario and keep its starting quarterback happy.

The Los Angeles Rams haven't made a first-round pick since 2016, though that drought is scheduled to end on Thursday night, as the team currently holds the No. 19 overall selection.

The direction they'll go with that pick remains to be seen, though ESPN's Adam Schefter noted that if the Rams choose to pick a successor for the 36-year-old Matthew Stafford, Bo Nix is a player to watch:

"[General manager Les] Snead was a graduate assistant coach at Auburn in 1993, when the school's quarterback was Patrick Nix, Bo's father. Patrick helped lead Auburn to an 11-0 record as a sophomore that season. Snead could go from watching one Nix make a mark on a team he was associated with early in his career to another Nix trying to make a mark on his team years later."

Schefter added that quarterbacks like Nix and Michael Penix Jr. are dividing opinion. One general manager told him there was an "undercurrent of support" for both players ahead of the draft, though his team didn't give either first-round grades and saw them as second-day prospects.

Other teams will surely see things different, and Schefter noted that there has been speculation that Penix could go as high as No. 8 to the Atlanta Falcons (which would be a somewhat curious move after their offseason signing of Kirk Cousins).

As for the Rams, having a succession plan in place for Stafford makes sense, but the Rams should be in win-now mode after reaching the postseason in 2023. Using a first-round pick on a player like Nix would be bypassing the opportunity to bring in a player who could make an immediate impact and would probably be met with some frustration from fans.

Kevin Dotson won't be hitting free agency after all.

The veteran guard reportedly agreed to a three-year, $48 million deal with the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz and ESPN's Adam Schefter, keeping an important blocker in front of quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Dotson, 27, was traded by the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Los Angeles Rams ahead of the 2023 season alongside a 2024 fifth-round pick and 2025 sixth-rounder in exchange for a 2024 fourth-rounder and 2025 fifth-rounder.

The moved proved to be excellent business, as the 2020 fourth-round pick ranked 95th among all NFL players this past season, per Sam Monson of PFF.

He noted that the veteran guard was "a consistently outstanding pass protector but posted below-average PFF grades in the run game" during his time in Pittsburgh, but his first season in Los Angeles "saw him dominate as a run blocker and still perform well as a pass protector" in what was a "career year."

Only Atlanta Falcons guard Chris Lindstrom ranked higher among guards in the PFF ratings.

Rams general manager Les Snead made it no secret that he wanted Dotson back.

"He'll definitely have a marketplace, for sure. People are going to want him to come play football for them," he told reporters in January. "We're one of those teams."

Dotson told the team's website in December that getting moved back to right tackle in Los Angeles played a major factor in his success, allowing him to play more naturally and comfortably than his time on the left in Pittsburgh.

The results spoke for themselves.

"Dude's different, man," left tackle Alaric Jackson told the team's website in December. "I mean, if he gets on you, it's over with for the most part. Knocking guys down, getting to the ball, finishing guys. I mean, locker room guy, you see him pumped up all the time. So dude's different, for sure."

He definitely made a difference for a Rams team that returned to the playoffs in 2023. He'll be expected to do so for the next three seasons, too, after Thursday's extension.