There is finally some clarity when it comes to Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and his sore back that has held him out of training camp. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Stafford is dealing with a herniated an aggravated disc and received an epidural several weeks ago to help him deal with it. The plan is still for him to be ready for Week 1.
Stafford has yet to participate in training camp and sat out Tuesday’s joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys. Stafford missing the joint practice is notable as the Rams value those for their starters much more than preseason games. The next joint practice that the Rams will hold will be on August 13 agains the Los Angeles Chargers. Rapoport’s report comes after ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported,
“This sounds more like a maintenance issue where they’re being smart with their 37-year-old quarterback who they feel like doesn’t need the work necessarily right now. And they feel like if there were a game today, Matthew Stafford would be able to play. So again, disconcerting that your quarterback’s not practicing, but it doesn’t sound overly alarming right now.”
Despite Stafford dealing with an aggravated disc, the Rams don’t seem too concerned about Stafford’s status for Week 1. The epidural shot would explain the multiple meetings with Los Angeles based spinal surgeon Dr. Robert Watkins.
While the Rams are optimistic and seem to like Jimmy Garoppolo, an aggravated disc is never something that you want to hear when it comes to a 37-year old quarterback. Stafford has dealt with multiple back injuries throughout his career and one bad hit could put the Rams without their starting quarterback.
At the very least, there is at least some clarity on why Stafford was held out of training camp. Per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Stafford is expected to resume working out this week,
“Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Stafford is on track to resume working out this week. He’s expected to do on-field work in the coming days. The Rams have taken their time with Stafford due to the epidural he received several weeks ago. The back issue emerged after the conclusion of the offseason program. The goal has been to give Stafford enough time to allow the situation to fully resolve itself, so that he won’t have a relapse during the season.”
The Rams remain optimistic, but the end goal appears to have their starting quarterback ready for Week 1.
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