The NFL world went ballistic yesterday, when a rumor leaked about the LA Rams looking to trade quarterback Matthew Stafford. Yes, the same guy who won them a Super Bowl just over a year ago. Now, LA Rams general manager Les Snead is commenting on those rumors.
Now, of course, you have to understand that Snead could say one thing, and behind closed doors, something else could be happening. I don’t usually believe anything anyone says about trades during the offseason until they happen.
That said, it says a lot that Snead decided to talk to the press about these rumors as soon as they hit the fan. Read on for the story on the former Lions quarterback.
The Rumor
Early Thursday (March 9), from The Daily Coach’s Michael Lombardi went on The Pat McAfee Show and stated that Matthew Stafford is “fully available.” He even said that the Rams were calling other teams, trying to shop Stafford! That said, it would be hard to trade because of the remaining money in a four-year, $160 million extension. That move came after Stafford’s big Super Bowl win, which resulted in a big pay raise for him.
TAMPA, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 06: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams looks on in the fourth quarter of a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on November 06, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
LA Rams' GM responds
Later in the day on Thursday, Snead commented on the Rams’ focus to “reshape” its roster around Stafford. Speaking with reporters via The Athletic, Snead called Stafford “one of our pillars,” trying to say the team has faith in Stafford, despite his injury-laced season.
“I think we’ll definitely rely on Matthew, he’s definitely one of our pillars,” Snead said, via The Athletic. “He’s definitely someone we’re going to rely on, (who) we’re gonna have to rely on as we do remodel this.”
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – NOVEMBER 20: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams warms up prior to a game against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome on November 20, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
A Rams rebuild
Snead went on to discuss a rebuild vs. a reshaping of the team. “To me in a rebuild you would just bulldoze the house down, and again rebuilding from the ground up. But when you have someone like Matthew Stafford, players like Cooper Kupp, Aaron Donald, there’s some weight-bearing walls there that we still have, and we’re going to rely on those – don’t want to put pressure on them – and then at point remodel around them with maybe different teammates, different partners,” Snead said via the NFL.com.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – NOVEMBER 27: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs and Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams greet after a game at Arrowhead Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
The money
Even if the Rams want to get rid of Stafford, it might not make sense. Next year, the Stafford cap goes to $49.5 million. If they did a trade before June 1, it would result in a $55.5 million cap hit. In 2025, Stafford’s cap number will hit $50.5 million, and it would cost $37 million to trade him before June 1. Considering how much they lost to get Stafford in the beginning, plus all that cash, it would seem like an unwise move to throw more money down the toilet.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 04: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams watches warm up before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at SoFi Stadium on December 04, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
