[snackdaddy]

Reality check my friends. The Rams bit the bullet to get out of cap hell. Now Stafford wants to put them right back in it. The guy is injury prone. Look at 2022 and again last year. Big ass red flags.

Stafford missed one game last year. A freak injury to the thumb that can and has happened to other quarterbacks. The year before was a lost year. Donald and Kupp ended up on IR. My guess is all 3 would have kept playing if they were in contention for a playoff. No point in risking your 3 stars if it means nothing. With an offensive line that suffered unprecedented injuries. They were not going to protect Stafford with what they had.

[ramsman34]

How do you figure cap Hell? Add some guaranteed money, extend, spread the cap hit. Seems like a cap savings to me. Unless you want him gone after this season???

[max]

Stafford is the best QB in the NFC. With him we have a shot at the SB. Without him, we don’t make the playoffs. I have no idea what the Rams would do if Stafford left after this year. Praying for a QB miracle might be a consideration.

Be careful what you wish for.

[ramsman34]

Totally agree. And if he wants to play 3 more years, he is going to want to be paid like the best in the NFC and top 5. His current contract isn’t set up that way. So ya it will cost more money but we keep him for 3+ more years. A. The cap hit is spread out B. WE GET 3 MORE YEARS ABLE TO COMPETE FOR A SB TITLE. The latter allows the Rams to build the team up for Stafford and have the team more veteran when the next QB is up.

[Elvis]

Kroenke is a businessman and as such he should know a shakedown when he encounters one. We will know Stan's stance if he drafts a QB like Rattler or Pratt in the 5th round which would tell Matt enough is enough. Retire after this season or play on a $50M contract in 2025.

Where to even start?

Stan didn't draft a QB. (Truth be told, i didn't even know Stan made the picks.)

On to the next...

[Indrid Cold]

I love Stafford but his extensive injury history can't be ignored. I think the Rams originally projected his potential retirement at the end of this year. They are approaching their team building in that manner.

I think there have been talks about extending him through 2025 but since he has no guaranteed "salary" remaining on his contract he wants more. He's already looking at over $50M just for 2025. It's not like none of that is guaranteed already. $37M of that $50M is already guaranteed.

This is just totally factually inaccurate. The contract is structured with the out in 2026 not 2025. It's $47M in dead cap if he's not on the team next year.

Yes, it's $50.5M cap charge for next year. That includes $18.5M in signing and restructure bonus proration -- which have already been paid. The remaining $32M is $27M in salary and a $5M roster bonus. $10M of the salary became guaranteed last month. So there's $22M unguaranteed.

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/player/_/id ... w-stafford

It's a small risk...but Rams are DOA anyway if Stafford retires or gets permanently injured this year and can't play next year...so why not guarantee the remaining $22M. If he's here and able to play, there's zero cap impact in doing that. It would just make the dead money much greater, but Rams are all in on him playing in 2025 anyway. Can leave the out for 2026 alone...or make that guaranteed shortly after the start of the 2026 league year. Again, no impact if he's healthy and doesn't pull an AD.

[actionjack]

Stafford is the straw the stirs the drink, he is what will give us a chance of being elite. He is that dude. IMO the is great news, shows he wants to plan for 3-4 years. It will get done, the Rams know Stafford is our secret weapon. Last year he played at an incredibly high level, one of the best by any QB...ever.

[Elvis]

[69RamFan]

For those of you that want a replacement QB,

Did you hear Les Snead,

He stated, they want to make the most out of MS era,

By doing so, they have been building around MS on both sides of the ball.

Then signing contracts no more than a three-year window.

They are building a team around MS,

to get the best chance to win as many SB as they can within the next three years.

As I've been stating, you fill this roster to win now,

by getting the players who can make that happen now,

and not with a rookie QB of the future by carrying a clipboard.

I don't see the RAMs drafting a QB until 2026 on MS final year of his contract. IMO

[ramsman34]

Totally agree 69. And the Rams ain’t playin’. They are all in yet again and will keep adding pieces to the chess board as they see fit. We should be highly competitive this season and only get better in ‘25 and ‘26.