A report emerged on Monday that the Rams and quarterback Matthew Stafford had made significant progress on a contract extension.
Stafford, 38, is currently slated to make $48.266 million in 2026 after winning his first MVP award in 2025. He reported for the start of the club’s offseason program on Monday.
In Los Angeles’ pre-draft press conference on Tuesday, General Manager Les Snead noted the club doesn’t feel there’s anything to worry about with Stafford’s situation.
“Progress has been made,” Snead said, via Nate Atkins of TheAthletic.com. “No timeline per se, but don’t expect any drama.”
That Stafford reported for the start of the offseason program is a sign that there is no acrimony between the two sides. It seems that Stafford and the Rams will reach a new deal sooner than later.
The Rams have made “significant progress” on an extension for quarterback Matthew Stafford, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports.
The 2025 NFL MVP has a contract that runs through 2026, and coach Sean McVay said last month that Stafford has “earned the right to be on a year-to-year basis.” McVay added that the Rams were willing to extend Stafford’s deal if that’s what he desired.
Stafford, 38, is scheduled to make $48.266 million this season.
He is coming off the best year of his career, when he led the league with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns. It led to his first MVP award and first-team All-Pro honor, likely sealing his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Stafford signed a four-year, $160 million extension with the Rams in March 2022, which included $135 million in guaranteed money. The Rams adjusted that deal in 2024 to increase his cash for that season by $5 million while boosting his 2025 roster bonus.
The sides reworked the contract again a year ago after the Rams allowed Stafford to speak with other teams about a trade.
Wide receiver Puka Nacua is with the Rams for the first day of their offseason program.
Nacua’s attorney Levi McCathern announced earlier this month that Nacua had checked himself into a holistic care rehab facility. McCathern added that Nacua was expected to complete the program in time to take part in the Rams’ organized team activities, which get underway on May 26.
Word of Nacua’s decision came after he was accused of biting a woman and making antisemitic remarks during an incident on New Year’s Eve. He has been sued in relation to that incident, although his attorney said the decision to enter rehab came before that suit was filed.
Nacua has not spoken publicly about those events or his time in the rehab facility, but he could have an opportunity to do so at some point during the offseason program.
Earlier this month, free-agent quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was reportedly “weighing a few options.”
One of those options includes not playing for anyone.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that Garoppolo is considering retirement.
Garoppolo, 34, was a second-round pick of the Patriots in 2014. Traded to the 49ers, Garoppolo became the starter immediately. He signed after his first season a contract that made him, at the time, the highest-paid player in the NFL.
After the 2022 season, Garoppolo signed with the Raiders as a free agent. He then went to the Rams for 2024 and 2025.
The Cardinals had been linked to Garoppolo in free agency. A snag during contract talks resulted in the Cardinals signing Gardner Minshew.
The Rams, who have only Matthew Stafford and Stetson Bennett on the roster, continue to be interested in Garoppolo.
For now, Garoppolo has to decide whether he’s interested in playing for what would be a 13th NFL season.
The World Cup is coming soon. And it’s quickly becoming a pain in the posterior for the 13 teams playing in stadiums that will be commandeered for intercontinental soccer.
Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal recently reviewed some of the practical impacts of FIFA bigfooting the various venues where fútbol will be played. This week, for example, the Jets and Giants will move their annual draft parties away from MetLife Stadium to Manhattan.
In all, 13 teams are impacted by the World Cup: the Cowboys, Jets, Giants, Falcons, Chiefs, Texans, 49ers, Chargers, Rams, Eagles, Seahawks, Patriots, and Dolphins.
For the teams that have employees at the stadiums hosting World Cup games, many will be moved. Those who are staying put will be subject to FIFA credentialing to get into their workplaces. And the Giants will start training camp in West Virginia, since MetLife Stadium will be hosting the final match on July 19 on a grass field that will need to be removed and replaced with one of the worst artificial surfaces in the entire league.
That last part still has to be the most galling for NFL players. Owners with stadiums that don’t have grass have bent over backwards to do whatever had to be done to placate FIFA. Their regular employees, however, will still be stuck with a lesser (and far cheaper) playing surface.
The various sacrifices involuntarily made by the players and other team employees should prompt FIFA to give them all a phony, made-up award. Especially since FIFA has already done that, for far less.
