In the wake of rumors surrounding the Los Angeles Rams efforts to trade star quarterback Matthew Stafford this offseason, FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd ignited further speculation with revelations about Stafford’s contract situation.
According to Cowherd, the Rams had approached Stafford to rework his deal, but the quarterback declined, leaving the team “frustrated.”
Cowherd shared insights from a trusted source, stating, “I was told by a source I trust that they wanted to redo his contract. He wasn’t interested. It limits what they can do, and they were frustrated with him.”
“I could also see them next year taking a quarterback because the way to catch up in this league with personnel is a rookie quarterback, go buy four good players,” Cowherd added.
However, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, who appeared as a guest on Cowherd’s show, disputed the notion that the Rams were actively seeking to trade Stafford.
Breer pointed out that the Rams had earmarked this season as a reset year when they made several notable trades and cuts, suggesting that Stafford was still a crucial part of their plans.
Stafford joined the Rams via a trade with the Detroit Lions, quickly making a significant impact as he led the team to a Super Bowl victory in his first year with the franchise.
As a reward for his outstanding performance, Stafford signed a massive long-term contract extension worth $160 million over the next four years, keeping him under contract until the conclusion of the 2026 season.
Unfortunately, Stafford’s initial success was marred by injuries, as he missed eight games last season, resulting in the Rams posting a disappointing 5-12 record.
Now, with the team entering a rebuilding phase, they were keen on restructuring Stafford’s contract to free up salary cap space. However, given his age of 35, the veteran quarterback is reluctant to forgo the money he is guaranteed to receive before potentially retiring.
Notably, not every quarterback can play well into their 40s, as exemplified by the exceptional longevity of players like Tom Brady.
Stafford’s performance during his nine starts last season amounted to 2,087 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, leading the Rams to a 3-6 record during that span.
Rams COO Kevin Demoff denied the team tried to trade Stafford and the talk that they did angers him.
“Those conversations frustrated me because I think it’s trying to inject narratives that aren’t there.. I know there are reports that we tried to trade Matthew. We were not actively trying to trade Matthew,” he said.
“I know Les has rebuffed that before. It’s just not the case. I think if you wanted to be in the reality of the NFL, there are 10 teams this year, at least, that are going to have different quarterbacks. We were obviously aggressive in remaking our roster in March.”
“It would be naive to think that people didn’t inquire about what was going to happen with the player who the year before won the Super Bowl. It’s different than whether people inquire, whether there are casual conversations.”
Do you believe Demoff that they didn’t actively try to trade Stafford?
Should Stafford have restructured his contract to help the team?
Can he regain his form from the Super Bowl winning season, or do you think his body is breaking down beyond repair?