Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is participating in offseason workouts despite an unresolved contractual issue. Last week, coach Sean McVay repeatedly said they are keeping the situation “in house.”
On Tuesday, reporters tried to get some information in a different way, asking offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur if he’s noticed any difference in Stafford given the contract issue.
“No,” LaFleur said, “Matthew, when he’s working, it’s… He loves being on that field. You watched today, you see how much fun this guy is having. It shows that it’s still child’s play, and that you just happen to make a lot of money to be able to do something that he’s pretty good at. But no, when he’s in the meeting room, when he’s on the field, he’s super positive. He’s the same Matthew I met a year ago. The cool thing for me is that this is above my pay grade in terms of what happens next. I know they are doing things the right way and we will go from there.”
The problem, as reported immediately after the Rams failed to pick a quarterback in the first round of the draft, is that Stafford wants more guaranteed money after 2024. That would force the Rams to abandon their admitted year-over-year approach with Stafford to give. . McVay has expressed his willingness to make that happen.
Complicating matters since the report first emerged is that the man the Rams dumped to get Stafford, Jared Goff, has been signed to a contract with a new money average of $53 million per year. That could lead to Stafford wanting a raise for a deal with a new money average of $40 million per year — and with cash commitments of $31 million this year, $32 million next year and $31 million in 2026.
