The LA Rams and veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford have long had mutual respect for each other, but when it comes to money, their views differ significantly. Stafford needed time to decide whether to continue his career, and he ultimately chose to return for the 2025 NFL season. However, his decision isn’t without complications, as the Rams now face five major issues to address with his return.
One of those issues stems from the trade of Stafford’s close friend and teammate, WR Cooper Kupp, which has already left the Rams with one strike against them.
At the heart of the situation is money. Stafford remains under contract with the Rams through 2026, so what’s the issue?
The issue lies in his compensation. In 2024, Stafford requested guaranteed pay, prompting the Rams to restructure his contract to advance some of his salary for that year. While this resolved the immediate concern, it created more complexity for 2025. As it stands, only Stafford’s roster bonus is guaranteed in 2025 and 2026.
If Stafford were to be cut or traded now, the Rams could save almost $50 million against their 2025 salary cap. This financial reality is a key reason contract talks are so contentious. Stafford has made it clear he won’t attend training camp until his contract reflects what he feels is his fair market value.
As a 37-year-old quarterback, Stafford is showing signs of the age-related decline that affects all NFL players once they cross the 30-year-old milestone. While Stafford may still believe his play is playoff-caliber, the same factors that led the Rams to trade Kupp will also play a role in adjusting Stafford’s contract for 2025.
Throughout this process, the Rams have always preferred to handle contract talks, trades, and player communication behind closed doors. This approach led to the trade of projected starting ILB Ernest Jones IV before the 2024 season.
But that’s how the Rams operate — or at least, how they prefer to operate.