Rams trying to dump Stafford

[Vic]

The Rams have quarterback Matthew Stafford under contract through the 2026 season, but the team apparently considered parting ways with him earlier this offseason.



Such a move would’ve been surprising considering Stafford guided Los Angeles to victory in Super Bowl LVI in February 2022, but the Rams apparently wanted to avoid paying out $59 million in contract bonuses. Stafford signed a four-year, $160 million extension last offseason.


With all that in mind, former NFL executive Michael Lombardi said the Rams fervently tried to trade Stafford this offseason in an effort to get out from under his contract.


Lombardi made the revelation Friday on The Pat McAfee Show, explaining that the Rams tried “with a lot of effort” to trade Stafford early this offseason.



“When his option bonus was getting ready to kick in, they attempted, with a lot of effort, to trade him—any team could have had him. The problem was, you had to absorb the $59 million, and the Rams knew there was no way around the $59 million. They couldn’t get around it unless they traded him and somebody else took it,” Lombardi stated.


tafford, 35, has spent two seasons with the Rams and helped lead the team to a 12-5 record and a Super Bowl victory during the 2021 season. He threw for 4,886 yards with 41 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in the ’21 regular season. Unfortunately, the ’22 season didn’t go as planned, with Stafford playing in just nine games due to injury and posting a 3-6 record during that span.



If healthy, Stafford could be primed for a bounce-back season, but the Rams have been forced to shed a fair amount of talent due to salary cap considerations this offseason.

www.si.com/nfl/2023/07/09/rams-matthew-stafford-trade-news-contract

[TRUMP]

the rams need to quit giving out ridiculous contracts. they did the same thing with Goff. then they dumped him for Stafford, then worked out the contract they are trying to avoid. they deserve what they get. i hope Stafford has a good year and tells the rams to fuck off or forces them to pay even more. if they are stupid enough to do it then its their own faults.

[Vic]

After the Rams won the Super Bowl, they celebrated by consuming plenty of Don Julio’s tequila and spending plenty of Stan Kroenke’s money.

A year later, the hangover still lingers.

They’ll never admit it, but the Rams regret giving Matthew Stafford a massive deal that included $63 million fully guaranteed at signing and another $57 million that became fully guaranteed in March 2023. That’s $120 million in full guarantees over two years for a quarterback who is, quite frankly, on the downhill slope of his career.

We’d heard that, although the Rams weren’t shopping Stafford, they were hoping someone would call. The Jets are the team that was believed to be most likely to make a play for Stafford, if the Jets hadn’t traded for Aaron Rodgers.

The Rams had another strategy for softening the blow of the $57 million mid-March guarantee. On Monday, Colin Cowherd said during his weekday show on FS1 and Fox Sports Radio that the Rams tried to get Stafford to renegotiate his contract — and that Stafford declined.

“I was told by a source I trust that they wanted to re-do his contract,” Cowherd said, via USA Today. “He wasn’t interested. It limits what they can do and they were frustrated with him.”

It’s unclear from the article whether the Rams were looking for a simple restructuring or a reduction in cash. Presumably, given that Stafford refused to do it, the Rams wanted him to take less money.

The fact that Stafford refused to cooperate with the Rams strengthens the possibility that 2023 will be Stafford’s last year with the Rams. It won’t be easy or cheap, especially since his $31 million salary for 2024 is already fully guaranteed. The Rams might have to pay more than a little of that money in order to get someone to accept his contract in trade.

Yes, the Rams won a Super Bowl through their trade for Stafford. But they’ve made some very bad business decisions in recent years, especially when it comes to quarterbacks. After winning that Super Bowl, they made a commitment to Stafford that they already realize they shouldn’t have.

[goldenlions]

Jul 24, 2023 11:52:25 GMT -6 Vic said:

possibility that 2023 will be Stafford’s last year with the Rams.

Stafford's stance on his contract screams this to me. The Rams are screwed for the next couple years. But I would take all of the Rams cap hell for a Superbowl win.

[Vic]

Peyton, Brady, others have reworked their contracts to help their team be more competitive and even win more championships.

I am glad he moved on.

[TRUMP]

I am fine with staffords stance. they wont be competitive for a couple years and at that point he will be traded or retire so take all you can get. if the rams were stupid enough to give him the huge extension its their own fault, not his.

[badnews3123]

Jul 25, 2023 7:25:12 GMT -6 Vic said:

Peyton, Brady, others have reworked their contracts to help their team be more competitive and even win more championships.

I am glad he moved on.

Re-work and taking a pay cut are 2 different things. Stafford re-worked his deal a bunch when he was here. I’d assume that’s not what they asked. And if I’m Stafford at the end of my career on a team that is clearly starting to reset things, I wouldn’t take a pay cut either. I’d guess that money would be used in the future anyway.

[Blaming Brad]

Yeah I don't blame him for not taking the pay cut. I said at the time the Rams were so stupid for giving him that extension after they already got the Super Bowl.

[Vic]

www.essentiallysports.com/nfl-news-nine-million-pay-cut-by-patrick-mahomes-shows-hes-walking-in-shadow-of-tom-brady/



What makes a good captain and a visionary leader? It is the will to lead from the front and when the situation demands, take one for the team. Patrick Mahomes recently demonstrated why he is worthy of being called a true leader. Despite having won his second Super Bowl MVP and securing his second Lombardi Trophy, he is not content to rest on his laurels. Instead, the Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback has taken it upon himself to reshape the team’s roster and attempt to emulate a feat last achieved by Tom Brady’s New England Patriots, i.e. win consecutive Super Bowls.



To achieve this, Patrick Mahomes made the tough decision to take a significant pay cut for now, sacrificing millions of dollars for the sake of the team. The Kansas City Chiefs restructured their star quarterback’s contract, freeing up much-needed cap space to pursue new talent in free agency. It is this kind of selflessness that draws comparisons to legends like Tom Brady, who have put team success above personal gain time and time again

[Felix]

Several things...

1. note it said "restructure" ...that does not mean paycut, that means moving money around, not taking anything away

2. They are at different points in their career...one has 10 more seasons, the other has less than a handful

3. Their endorsement income is vastly different I would imagine. One was in the national spotlight at 21 and the other was in detroit...

4. The Rams asked Stafford after the failed run it back season...its obvious this team cannot be trusted to spend money wisely


Nah...Stafford has been a team/organization guy his whole career...acting like this shows him as anything but is weak af

[TRUMP]

not at all. Stafford spent the best years of his time in NFL hell at Detroit. he deserves every penny he gets. he didnt demand that ridiculous contract the Rams paid AFTER he won the SB with them. so screw it. i am happy as hell for Stafford. Finally got a SB win and take the money and run at this point.

[Blaming Brad]

Jul 25, 2023 15:24:14 GMT -6 Felix said:

Several things...

1. note it said "restructure" ...that does not mean paycut, that means moving money around, not taking anything away

2. They are at different points in their career...one has 10 more seasons, the other has less than a handful

3. Their endorsement income is vastly different I would imagine. One was in the national spotlight at 21 and the other was in detroit...

4. The Rams asked Stafford after the failed run it back season...its obvious this team cannot be trusted to spend money wisely


Nah...Stafford has been a team/organization guy his whole career...acting like this shows him as anything but is weak af

Yeah that article is bush league and essentiallysports.com looks dicey as hell (never even heard of it). Even the article says he took a pay cut "for now". They just pushed some salary back. Big difference between that and what Brady did where he just took less money on his extensions than what he could have gotten on the open market, or even as a franchise tag.