Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay addressed the media late Tuesday night, confirming that the team had reached an agreement on a contract adjustment for quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay emerged from a three-hour media blackout at Loyola Marymount University on Tuesday night, confirming that the team had reached an agreement on a contract adjustment for quarterback Matthew Stafford. The 36-year-old signal-caller has three years remaining on his four-year, $160 million contract, none of which is guaranteed beyond this season.
Stafford's $40 million average annual salary currently ranks 14th in the league. The quarterback reportedly wanted more guaranteed money added to his deal, a request that became more pressing after his predecessor in Los Angeles, Detroit QB Jared Goff, received a four-year, $212 million deal that makes him the third-highest paid quarterback in the league at $53 million annually.
McVay declined to provide specific details of the new agreement, but emphasized the team's urgency to address the issue. Backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will miss the first two games of the season due to an NFL suspension, and second-year pro Stetson Bennett spent all of last season on the non-football injury list.
"We were able to have an understanding of what was important," McVay said. "We were able to articulate both perspectives, and I think the most important thing was coming to a solution and finding common ground."
Stafford's impressive play during the second half of 2023 helped Los Angeles finish 7-1 down the stretch. Overall, the Rams went 10-7 and reached the postseason after a disappointing 5-12 campaign coming off a Super Bowl victory after the 2021 season.
According to Next Gen Stats, Stafford was pressured on just 26.8% of his dropbacks from Week 11 to the end of the regular season, third-lowest in the league. For the season, the Rams allowed the sixth-fewest sacks (34) and ranked seventh in pressures allowed (213). Stafford's 5.4% sack rate was his lowest since 2011.
During that stretch from Week 11 until the end of the regular season, Stafford completed 160 of 243 passes (65.8%) for 1,895 yards, with 16 touchdowns and just four interceptions. For the season, Stafford threw for 3.965 yards even though he missed two games with a sprained ligament in his right thumb.
The Rams' contract adjustment for Stafford is a sign of their confidence in the veteran quarterback and their belief that he can lead them back to the Super Bowl. Stafford has shown that he can still play at a high level, and with a strong supporting cast around him, he has the potential to be one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
