Matthew Stafford Contract Status

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WestCoastRam

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Compete meaning for it all or just making the playoffs and hoping for the best?

They can do the latter without Stafford but they'll need #9 next year to compete for it all.

I sincerely hope they're not trying to split the baby because I've learned in my nearly half century on the planet that that's generally a bad idea. You get two dead halves.

IMO, they may be getting too enamored about the future. The only players I see that they for sure should be saving for are Puka, Turner, and Verse. There are some other good contributors that I think we'd be fine letting walk in 2-3 years, if necessary.

For example, in looking at the entire free agency list next year - headed by Kyren, Curl, Lake, and Durant - I feel the team would be fine if not one of them were resigned. They're all good contributors but none so irreplaceable that it would be considered mortgaging the future if they all walked.
I think we differ there, which is totally fine.

I only see us capable of making the playoffs without Stafford with Jimmy as our QB (if you go elsewhere, why pay all that for it and not just go with Stafford) and only if the defense takes a big step forward with Jimmy as our QB.
 

thirteen28

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Sounds like Stafford has lost the "We not Me" vibe

Yeah, and it's really starting to piss me off. The Rams have done good by Stafford, rescuing him from NFL purgatory (which it would have likely remained without all the draft capital they obtained), paired him with the best coach in the league, put him in a situation where he could get a ring (which he did), and now, in his career twilight when we have a young core of players we are going to have to pay, he wants a payday that would jeopardize the Rams ability to do so. If he moderated his demands or stuck with the contract he signed a couple of years ago, it would give the Rams the flexibility to really bolster this team to make a run and allow Stafford to cement his status as a HOFer.

People can also talk about contracts relative to other players at his position and whatnot, but I'll never understand the insistence on more money when you have made enough in your career that neither you, your kids, and probably your grandkids will ever have to work. I would think with the amount of wealth he's accumulated over his career that at this point, winning and being on a quality franchise would be his #1 priority. Between the scuttlebutt we're hearing and the obnoxious social media presence of his wife, doesn't look like that's the case.

I'll always be appreciative of Stafford and his incredible play during the Super Bowl run, but if he leaves now because he can't moderate his contract demands, it's going to leave a pretty bad taste in a lot of Rams fans mouths. Rightfully so.
 

Flatlyner

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I think we differ there, which is totally fine.

I only see us capable of making the playoffs without Stafford with Jimmy as our QB (if you go elsewhere, why pay all that for it and not just go with Stafford) and only if the defense takes a big step forward with Jimmy as our QB.
If we are shipping Stafford out, I'd rather give Fields a shot then Jimmy G. Just my opinion. Jimmy G isn't really capable of passing down the field (without a good chance of a turnover). At least Fields has a strong arm and is athletic as anyone. Also, young and maybe his head is on straight and can be a starter going forward. There is no real chance for that with JG.
 

DzRams

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I think we differ there, which is totally fine.

I only see us capable of making the playoffs without Stafford with Jimmy as our QB (if you go elsewhere, why pay all that for it and not just go with Stafford) and only if the defense takes a big step forward with Jimmy as our QB.
If they go from Stafford to Jimmy, you free up so much money in 2026 and beyond because of the difference in cost that they would be able to make much bigger free agency investments now if they wanted to.

So yeah you hope the defense takes a big step forward but also maybe you make a play for a Reed/Ward and Godwin/Adams (once released)/Diggs. I see a McVay coached team being competitive with several different paths.
 

WestCoastRam

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If they go from Stafford to Jimmy, you free up so much money in 2026 and beyond because of the difference in cost that they would be able to make much bigger free agency investments now if they wanted to.

So yeah you hope the defense takes a big step forward but also maybe you make a play for a Reed/Ward and Godwin/Adams (once released)/Diggs. I see a McVay coached team being competitive with several different paths.
Speaking of the all-in strategy, Robert Mays did a great podcast on FA signings and superbowl teams this week. Def give it a listen if you have a minute. Basically, aside from the Broncos who bought their defense one year (and the still had Von and that interior guy), most teams that make the Superbowl have one thing in common, low end FAs that over-perform their contracts.

May give some people pause about going all in.

Count me as someone in favor of judicious moves in FA with Stafford at QB, some swings in the draft and possibly a move or two at the trade deadline if we're looking spicy next season (that's where I'd be cool with them pushing a lot of chips in).

I don't want to necessarily break the bank on like a Godwin now though.
 

DzRams

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Speaking of the all-in strategy, Robert Mays did a great podcast on FA signings and superbowl teams this week. Def give it a listen if you have a minute. Basically, aside from the Broncos who bought their defense one year (and the still had Von and that interior guy), most teams that make the Superbowl have one thing in common, low end FAs that over-perform their contracts.

May give some people pause about going all in.

Count me as someone in favor of judicious moves in FA with Stafford at QB, some swings in the draft and possibly a move or two at the trade deadline if we're looking spicy next season (that's where I'd be cool with them pushing a lot of chips in).

I don't want to necessarily break the bank on like a Godwin now though.
And that's a fair approach. Most of the time. I'm not sure the Rams are so good at getting low end FAs that over-perform their contracts. It looks like that's what they tried to do last year....and most years. They rarely spend in wave one. And they miss fairly often in waves two and three.

The dilemma IMO is that there are several large holes that need to be filled now if we're talking about competing for it all in 2025. The offense needs a pretty sizeable upgrade and the defense needs a big upgrade at either CB or ILB.

With the Rams track record of judicious moves in FA and their 3 premium draft picks, I'm concerned they can't improve enough this off-season to be a real SB contender. Which is why I'm on the take-a-big-swing or build for the future train.
 

dieterbrock

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Yeah, and it's really starting to piss me off. The Rams have done good by Stafford, rescuing him from NFL purgatory (which it would have likely remained without all the draft capital they obtained), paired him with the best coach in the league, put him in a situation where he could get a ring (which he did), and now, in his career twilight when we have a young core of players we are going to have to pay, he wants a payday that would jeopardize the Rams ability to do so. If he moderated his demands or stuck with the contract he signed a couple of years ago, it would give the Rams the flexibility to really bolster this team to make a run and allow Stafford to cement his status as a HOFer.

People can also talk about contracts relative to other players at his position and whatnot, but I'll never understand the insistence on more money when you have made enough in your career that neither you, your kids, and probably your grandkids will ever have to work. I would think with the amount of wealth he's accumulated over his career that at this point, winning and being on a quality franchise would be his #1 priority. Between the scuttlebutt we're hearing and the obnoxious social media presence of his wife, doesn't look like that's the case.

I'll always be appreciative of Stafford and his incredible play during the Super Bowl run, but if he leaves now because he can't moderate his contract demands, it's going to leave a pretty bad taste in a lot of Rams fans mouths. Rightfully so.
Such a great post.
Couldnt agree more
 

Merlin

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I don’t understand what you mean about Stan. Why would he get involved with those details? Isn’t that why he hired Kevin (and to a lesser extent Snead). That’s their job. It’s not like it’s costing g Stan more - we’re paying up to the cap regardless. So why would the owner (esp a hands off guy like Stan) care about the minutiae of who gets what. It’s not like we’re talking about a long term contract or anything.
I’m confused…maybe you know something I don’t here.
No team redoes a deal for a QB who is under contract to guarantee him money or increase his income and cap figure without the owner signing off on it.

Also no GM makes the call on telling the QB who won you a Super Bowl that the team will not entertain a pay hike.

These are owner level decisions.
 

dieterbrock

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No team redoes a deal for a QB who is under contract to guarantee him money or increase his income and cap figure without the owner signing off on it.
Of course they do. That's what the GM decides. Kroenke knows the team will spend up to the cap limit and lets his money guys figure out how that works.
 

Merlin

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Of course they do. That's what the GM decides. Kroenke knows the team will spend up to the cap limit and lets his money guys figure out how that works.
Disagree. Big decisions like that are brought to the owner. In fact watch and see... We will hear once this is done that it was the owner saying no.
 

dieterbrock

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Disagree. Big decisions like that are brought to the owner. In fact watch and see... We will hear once this is done that it was the owner saying no.
It's not a big decision, that's the point. He's going to spend to the limit of the cap, makes no difference how its spread out. Of course there are owners that want final say over all decisions, draft, free agent signings, trades etc. But that aint Kroenke, he hasnt micro managed the team, that's why they're so successful
 

DzRams

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It's not a big decision, that's the point. He's going to spend to the limit of the cap, makes no difference how its spread out. Of course there are owners that want final say over all decisions, draft, free agent signings, trades etc. But that aint Kroenke, he hasnt micro managed the team, that's why they're so successful
Agreed. The Rams owner makes big decisions like lets trade the young QB who we just paid for an older QB who we will need to pay in a year or two. Franchise altering decisions.

We don't have evidence of the Rams owner making lessor type decisions.
 

Merlin

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It's not a big decision, that's the point. He's going to spend to the limit of the cap, makes no difference how its spread out. Of course there are owners that want final say over all decisions, draft, free agent signings, trades etc. But that aint Kroenke, he hasnt micro managed the team, that's why they're so successful
Any time a player decides that he's going to make more than was already agreed upon and signed in contract, that is a big decision. No owner is going to be happy finding out via the news that his GM has caved to a player to pay him more. Any time that happens you can bet the GM gives the owner a heads up as well as his rationale for giving in or refusing. And the owner will say yea or nay.
 

snackdaddy

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It's stated right at the top.

Just cut-and-paste, and google ...
Rams Poised to Make Matthew Stafford NFL’s Highest-Paid Player Per Season
by By Nate Kessler, GTP Sports Network 9:05 AM February 19, 2025


It sends you to a Rams site called Rams Fans United ... seems weak to me.


If you cut-and-paste and google the alleged author and site ...
Nate Kessler, GTP Sports Network ... you pretty-much get nothing of value.

It seems like bull-shit to me ... 100% conjecture by an unknown commentator, with zero inside information.

In my opinion, the Dillon Gabriel component really exposes this report as useless and amateurish because No Team would share that type of information or startegy for drafting a late-round quarterback. If just one of the 31 other NFL teams liked Gabriel, and that team knew the Rams' intention, they could easily maneuver to get the player. The Gabriel stuff is beyond ridiculous.
The guy who posted this on the Rams forum pretty much admitted he was trolling another poster who makes outlandish claims. Nothing about this is true.
 

dieterbrock

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Any time a player decides that he's going to make more than was already agreed upon and signed in contract, that is a big decision. No owner is going to be happy finding out via the news that his GM has caved to a player to pay him more. Any time that happens you can bet the GM gives the owner a heads up as well as his rationale for giving in or refusing. And the owner will say yea or nay.
See that’s you putting your spin on it that the Rams would be caving in. Too funny. I’m certain that Kroenke is aware of all the contract negotiations, and renegotiations and entrusts his GM and President of operations to make the best decisions for the club.
But im also certain he isn’t vetoing any of it
 

OldSchool

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Of course they do. That's what the GM decides. Kroenke knows the team will spend up to the cap limit and lets his money guys figure out how that works.
We've heard them talk about going to Stan for this type of thing before. They've talked about him being receptive and not combative but they have had to sell him on stuff before. He's expressed confidence in the guys but they absolutely get his ok on this type of stuff.