Matthew Stafford Contract Status

[Memphis Ram]

View: https://x.com/RapSheet/status/1895505725927170314

 

[Merlin]

Jourdan said Rams want Alaric to test the market and they themselves are curious to see how much he'll garner.

Like I said, those that want to keep him either way may be in for a rude awakening.

Been saying for a while now that if they keep Stafford they will likely just get Alaric done. But if they know they're gonna move Stafford then it opens up some other options, as now 2025 is another rebuild year so hey if that LT they like falls why not, and that applies to QB as well. Basically the QB change means drafting a QB and maybe a LT too or at least playing loose with Alaric and risky with the market.

 

[Ram_Rally]

Interesting, it's the first time I've heard someone actually say that Rams wanna go year to year with Stafford, I figured they'd be at least okay with 2 years if they renegotiated. Makes sense though.

I think his health and age are playing a huge role. Imagine a major injury at 37. You'd not be in a good position with him the next year.

 

[Ellard80]

If stafford didn’t pull this wanting more money, then I’m confident we would go into 2025 with a good LT. whether that be Alaric, 1st round pick or some good stop gap.
With less cap, that becomes a much bigger problem to solve.

I don't think we are shelling out big money for an o-lineman. We never do.

If Alaric is going to get big buck offers from someone, I don't think that the rams are matching it.

People are trying to connect Stafford with the ability to re-sign Jackson. I get it, but I don't think they have much effect on each other.

 

[Ram Ts]

I think I the raiders with stafford and more FA additions could be pretty good next year.
The problem is if stafford gets hurt. Even still, it’s a thin margin of error due to that tough division. If things went their way, they could win 10-12 games…..they could also go south winning 6-8 games.

 

[Memphis Ram]

And unless they work a roster miracle with all that they're still the 4th best team in the division. And with a short term stop gap at QB while the rest have their QB for a long time. Also all the coaches in that division have had success.

Each season is different. Remember Washington was the 4th best team in their division the year before.

 

[Ram Ts]

I don't think we are shelling out big money for an o-lineman. We never do.

If Alaric is going to get big buck offers from someone, I don't think that the rams are matching it.

People are trying to connect Stafford with the ability to re-sign Jackson. I get it, but I don't think they have much effect on each other.

Unless you are in a total rebuild, the LT is one of the most important positions to the rams/teams. You need either a top draft pick or a solid vet at least.

 

[El Chapo Jr]

I don't get why some people and fans, and maybe the Rams, are apparently balking at 50M ish for 2 years. He is worth that. It is the going rate. Elite QBs cost money. He has at least 1 good year left, and quite likely 2-3. I don't think that type contract traps you. For me, it is more so about the term of guaranteed money. If Stafford is willing to keep the term of guaranteed money on the short side I don't see what the hold up should be.

It's because as a fan, you worry about next year. As an organization, it needs to be looked at short term and long term. I've been saying this the whole time yet here we are. To just say pay the man is such a short sighted way to look at things with an aging QB. The Rams would be doing themselves a disservice by not entertaining all avenues since I highly doubt Stafford will have the trade value he has now. The Rams whether Stafford resigns or not, need to plan to replace him anyways and also sign their young stars. Some people get that but dragging our feet on that and signing Stafford to an unfavorable contract is not smart business. With that said, we are going to find out of its all about the money and I will lose just a bit of respect for the guy if he chases the bag vs chasing greatness.

 

[Ellard80]

Unless you are in a total rebuild, the LT is one of the most important positions to the rams/teams. You need either a top draft pick or a solid vet at least.

Of course... but McVay/Snead has never given lineman big contracts.

Alaric won't get one - he could get a raise for sure, but if other teams are offering big money the rams won't go there.

 

[majrleaged]

I don’t think McVay would ever let that happen. There’s also an argument that Stafford nearly kept us from the playoffs by playing hurt for the last three weeks. You don’t think guys would’ve been pissed knowing he had cracked ribs that he could’ve rested from?

So you think the team didn't know he was hurt? I doubt that.

 

[El Chapo Jr]

Maybe it's not a losing situation.

As I posted in another thread, along with no income tax the Raiders have the 2nd most cap space in the league, 10 draft choices, and a new HC who has had success in the NFL. They could possibly turn things around in one season just like Washington did last year.

And they've been giving KC problems even without good QB play.

The Raiders are going to Raider. They aren't going to win shit lol

 

[El Chapo Jr]

Interesting, it's the first time I've heard someone actually say that Rams wanna go year to year with Stafford, I figured they'd be at least okay with 2 years if they renegotiated. Makes sense though.

I'm guessing they wanna do this so if his play falls off a cliff, they can get out without being stuck with a shitty cap hit. He's up there in age and even though he played well in the playoffs, the fall off can happen faster than anyone knows. I for one, do not blame the Rams. Its an extremely smart approach of risk vs benefit.

 

[WestCoastRam]

I don't know that Rams have a high opinion of Alaric and Jourdan suggested that if they keep Stafford, they spend the money on a tackle in FA that has the same timeline as Stafford.

Still letting a competent LT go makes me nervous.

 

[snackdaddy]

So Raiders and Giants are offering 45-50 million guaranteed for two years, and that's just the guaranteed cash. If Stafford values money over all then I see him getting traded and will wish him nothing but the best until he plays the Rams.
If this happens, I fully expect Stafford to speak on this as a regret when he retires. Neither of those two teams are anywhere near the Rams in terms of personnel, FO and most importantly HC.
Hopefully we hear something by the weekend so we can put this behind us. Like someone else said, if he walks I'm super excited to see what happens next.

The Giants are a mess. If Stafford takes a two year deal from them he won't be in the playoffs the rest of his career. The Raiders are in better shape to build something around him but still a couple years away. Best case with them is year two and that is iffy. So if he takes a deal with one of those two teams then it confirms its no longer about the legacy. Its about the money.

 

[thirteen28]

Been saying for a while now that if they keep Stafford they will likely just get Alaric done. But if they know they're gonna move Stafford then it opens up some other options, as now 2025 is another rebuild year so hey if that LT they like falls why not, and that applies to QB as well. Basically the QB change means drafting a QB and maybe a LT too or at least playing loose with Alaric and risky with the market.

After what we went through this year with Stafford, I think we should take a QB somewhere in this draft who could be his understudy. It won't be a day one pick, and maybe even not a day two pick, so we can evaluate for a year and then think again about what to do next year.

This Stafford thing should put is front an center in the FO's mind that his time with the Rams is coming to an end fairly soon, even if it doesn't happen this year.

 

[Merlin]

I figure they will identify which QB they prefer from this class to build with, and they will position as required to get him where there's good value plus it is likely he is there. Of course QB is hard to figure given how needy teams are with it. Reaches are far more likely. But for example if they like Dart then they may take him at 26. If it's Howard maybe they move back a bit and then take him.

Now if McVay doesn't care for any of these QBs then they probably stand pat. Bennett should be capable of being QB2 now and if not he needs to go. And if they move Stafford and keep Jimmy that's not ideal (he doesn't stretch the field he's an underneath dumper) but they can deal for this season that route I suppose.

But I suspect McVay will leave no stone unturned with this QB class. There is raw talent with them, question of which flaws you can operate around. Reason I like Dart so much is because he just needs seasoning and McVay would enjoy that curve of coaching him up while Jimmy or whoever handles the starting role.

 

[AZRams]

I don't know that Rams have a high opinion of Alaric and Jourdan suggested that if they keep Stafford, they spend the money on a tackle in FA that has the same timeline as Stafford.

Still letting a competent LT go makes me nervous.

Absolutely, especially as much as they struggled with it in the immediate aftermath of Whit's retirement.

 

[Ram Ts]

Of course... but McVay/Snead has never given lineman big contracts.

Alaric won't get one - he could get a raise for sure, but if other teams are offering big money the rams won't go there.

Whit was signed to a 3/33 contract in 2020. In today’s cap, that would be well over 15m/year (maybe close to 20). They signed Noteboom as an unproven full season guy to take over paying him nearly 15m.
I’m pretty sure they expect to pay at least 15-20 for their long term guy at LOT. maybe that’s via a draft pick and they can keep the cost down for a few years, but they will gladly spend that money on a LOT when they find the guy. TBD if that’s Alaric. I’d be hesitant to sign him…or giving him too much guaranteed money.

 

[Faceplant]

I don't think we are shelling out big money for an o-lineman. We never do.

Can't agree with this. The Rams are currently paying huge money to Jonah Jackson, Kevin Dotson and Joe fucking Noteboom. Hav is on a sizeable deal as well. I would guess the Rams have more cap tied up in their OL than most teams.

 

[Flatlyner]

How much would Rodgers ultimately cost to come to the Rams? Everyone says he can be had cheap but how cheap, $10-15 mill? Jimmy G was paid a 3 mil salary with an effective APY of $4.6 mill mil to be a backup last year and could be brought back for maybe $5 mill this year (plus incentives) to be Rodger's backup.

Stafford's current APY is $40 mil and that should be the starting point not the $27 million cash value he has for this year. His cash value for next year is $31 million.

If you want to get him up to a 50 mill APY for 25 & 26 to me that is a 20 million pay raise. That would be in line with offering him consecutive 1 year deals worth 40 million as noted in ellard80's post of Underdog NFL. Effectively it would be a $13 mil pay raise this year and an $9 mill next year. That's a total pay raise of $22 which is doable.

Getting him up to a 50 million cash value is (Essentially a 60 million APY for the next two years) is another matter and adds another $42 million to the books and I do not think the Rams want to go there.

Is Stafford willing to take 10 million less a year and on year to year basis and stay with the Rams?

Do the Rams BLINK and close the money gap. I don't think they blink if they have Rodgers and extra draft capital potentially waiting in the wings.

My understanding is that it is similar to what happened to Russ last year, former team pays their salary and we just pay the vet minimum, as the Steelers did last year. Correct me if I'm wrong. I think this is another reason he is appealing to the Rams.