Matthew Stafford, the Los Angeles Rams quarterback, wants more guaranteed money in his deal. This has been reported several times during the offseason.
Former Rams quarterback Jared Goff’s record-breaking contract extension with the Detroit Lions earlier this month added another dimension to the mix.
Goff signed a four-year contract deal worth $212 million on May 13. It ranks him as the NFL’s second highest-paid player, trailing Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals.
As the quarterback market evolves, Stafford is likely to want to be taken care of. He’s on a four-year, $160 million contract that continues through the 2026 season. That $40 million average pay ranks 12th among quarterbacks, just alongside Daniel Jones of the New York Giants.
Talk about getting underpaid. Despite this, Stafford agreed to join the Rams for the start of their OTAs on Monday.
Matthew Stafford On Hand For Start Of Los Angeles Rams OTAs
The Rams announced on social media that their starting quarterback was on the field during practice on Monday.
Cue the QBs. pic.twitter.com/rahM3D99dQ
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) May 20, 2024
This is significant given the contract impasse between the Super Bowl-winning quarterback and his team. Stafford may have decided to sit out this week in an attempt to force the Rams’ hand. Apparently, this is not the case.
Matthew Stafford (2023) stats: 3,965 passing yards, 92.5 quarterback rating, 62.6% completion rate, 24-11 touchdown-interception ratio, 7.6 yards per attempt.
Any new contract for Stafford would most likely start at $50 million per year. Pure speculation, but three years at $150 million with $100 million in guarantees would probably be the starting point.
It’s now all about Stafford and the Rams reaching an agreement on a new contract ahead of training camp. If that doesn’t happen, he may shift his stance and hold out. Nobody wants to see this happen.
