Rams praised for keeping Matthew Stafford in offseason
The Los Angeles Rams are being praised for turning down trade offers and adjusting Matthew Stafford’s contract to keep him on the team in 2025. Athlon Sports writer Craig Ellenport says that the Rams are in a good position to reach the Super Bowl this season and dug up some intel on Stafford’s 2024 season from a rival scout who thinks that the quarterback is as good as ever:
“Honestly, not seeing decline from Matthew Stafford,” one rival scout told Athlon Sports. “He can still sling the rock. Yes, Sean McVay and Les Snead need to start planning ahead. But extending his deal was the right move. It’s a have and have-not league at quarterback, and they have one.”
The 37-year-old entering his 17th NFL season had a 64.7 QBR in 2024, his best mark since 2019 when he was still on the Detroit Lions. Only two years ago in 2023, Stafford’s eigthth-place finish in the MVP race was the first time he got serious consideration for the award and he made just his second career Pro Bowl.
Now Stafford enters the 2025 season with a new weapon at wide receiver in Davante Adams and potentially one of his best career offensive lines, at least up the middle with Kevin Dotson, Steve Avila, and Coleman Shelton. In addition to having Puka Nacua, Kyren Williams, and Tyler Higbee, Stafford could be entering a career statistical season if all goes right with Sean McVay’s play calling this year, as was also echoed in the scouting report:
“There’s a lot of cool plays McVay can dial up with Davante Adams in the huddle to go with Puka Nacua,” the scout said. “There aren’t a lot of dudes who can compete for the football the way they can and freeze DBs with their footwork.”
With a second Super Bowl win, Stafford may decide that he’s done it all and hang it up after the season. In which case, he’d be going out with potentially just as many tools as he’s ever had, something we rarely see when football players retire.
