Recent Forum Topics › Forums › The Rams Huddle › Stafford 2026
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May 30, 2026 at 10:50 am #164172
znModeratorSleeperNFL@SleeperNFL
The Rams reportedly believe Matthew Stafford’s lack of training camp reps last year was a “critical form of load management,” and plan to manage his reps again this offseason.Stafford returned and had “the best season of his life.”
July 3, 2026 at 5:49 pm #164703
wvParticipantJust curious. Who is Stafford’s closest ‘comp’ among active QBs in the NFL today.
I dunno. Nobody really fits. But if i had to pick….tough, vet, pocket-guy, gunslinger….Baker Mayfield ?
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AI – 2025 (not accurate, but its still a list)
American Football Conference (AFC)East: Josh Allen (Bills), Geno Smith (Jets), Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins), Drake Maye (Patriots)
North: Lamar Jackson (Ravens), Joe Burrow (Bengals), Aaron Rodgers (Steelers), Joe Flacco (Browns)
South: Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars), C.J. Stroud (Texans), Daniel Jones (Colts), Cam Ward (Titans)
West: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Justin Herbert (Chargers), Bo Nix (Broncos), Geno Smith (Raiders)National Football Conference (NFC)
East: Jalen Hurts (Eagles), Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Jayden Daniels (Commanders), Russell Wilson (Giants)
North: Caleb Williams (Bears), Jordan Love (Packers), J.J. McCarthy (Vikings), Jared Goff (Lions)
South: Tyler Shough (Saints), Baker Mayfield (Buccaneers), Bryce Young (Panthers), Michael Penix Jr. (Falcons)
West: Kyler Murray (Cardinals), Brock Purdy (49ers), Matthew Stafford (Rams), Sam Darnold (Seahawks)July 3, 2026 at 6:16 pm #164704znModeratorJust curious. Who is Stafford’s closest ‘comp’ among active QBs in the NFL today.
IMHO the real difference between Stafford and Allen or Mahomes, is that whatever legs MS did have, are shot. He can move around in the backfield but he’s not a running threat. Beyond that he has the same arm the other 2 do, but he’s also a hair more accurate on a consistent basis. Mahomes, like Stafford, has a clutch gene.
I think Stafford is a slight percentage up from the other 2 when it comes to processing and recognition. The other 2 can go outside of structure when’s nothing’s there much more than Stafford does, but on the other hand Stafford excels at squeezing the last half inch of a play out of tight situations, so “nothing there” doesn’t quite mean the same thing for him.
I know that didn’t answer your question. But it would take a while to think of who is directly comparable. It’s like Stafford is a Brady with more arm and less risk adverse.
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July 3, 2026 at 6:16 pm #164705znModeratorJust curious. Who is Stafford’s closest ‘comp’ among active QBs in the NFL today.
IMHO the real difference between Stafford and Allen or Mahomes, is that whatever legs MS did have, are shot. He can move around in the backfield but he’s not a running threat. Beyond that he has the same arm the other 2 do, but he’s also a hair more accurate on a consistent basis. Mahomes, like Stafford, has a clutch gene.
I think Stafford is a slight percentage up from the other 2 when it comes to processing and recognition. The other 2 can go outside of structure when’s nothing’s there much more than Stafford does, but on the other hand Stafford excels at squeezing the last half inch of a play out of tight situations, so “nothing there” doesn’t quite mean the same thing for him.
I know that didn’t answer your question. But it would take a while to think of who is directly comparable. It’s like Stafford is a Brady with more arm and also less risk adverse.
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July 3, 2026 at 6:40 pm #164706wvParticipantJust curious. Who is Stafford’s closest ‘comp’ among active QBs in the NFL today.
IMHO the real difference between Stafford and Allen or Mahomes, is that whatever legs MS did have, are shot. He can move around in the backfield but he’s not a running threat. Beyond that he has the same arm the other 2 do, but he’s also a hair more accurate on a consistent basis. Mahomes, like Stafford, has a clutch gene.
I think Stafford is a slight percentage up from the other 2 when it comes to processing and recognition. The other 2 can go outside of structure when’s nothing’s there much more than Stafford does, but on the other hand Stafford excels at squeezing the last half inch of a play out of tight situations, so “nothing there” doesn’t quite mean the same thing for him.
I know that didn’t answer your question. But it would take a while to think of who is directly comparable. It’s like Stafford is a Brady with more arm and also less risk adverse.
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I’m putting you down for Tony Banks, then, if I’m reading you correctly.
I was thinking today about the difference between ‘Pocket QBs’ and ‘Movement QBs’ (or whatever we want to call them) and i was thinking about how some ‘movement’ is still a ‘pocket skill’. Like one of the great things about Stafford is because of all those years of experience, he can ‘sense’ the rushers coming. And he knows how to quickly glide a step this way or that. Can Lamar Jackson do it as well? Can any of the great running-QBs do that thing where he ‘hops’ left or right and then rifles a strike downfield? Marino could do it.
That kind of movement takes a certain amount of lower-body athletic skill but it also requires that ‘sixth sense’ about when to do it.
I’m often impressed by Stafford’s movement skills. He can buy himself that split-second he needs to fire a strike. He’s no statue in the pocket. He moves. He just cant ‘run’ anymore.
Compare what Stafford does in the pocket to say, Aaron Rogers the last few years. Rogers looks like a train-wreck in the pocket to me. I keep waiting for a ‘phantom sack’ with Rogers.w
vJuly 3, 2026 at 8:51 pm #164707znModeratorI was thinking today about the difference between ‘Pocket QBs’ and ‘Movement QBs’ (or whatever we want to call them) and i was thinking about how some ‘movement’ is still a ‘pocket skill’. Like one of the great things about Stafford is because of all those years of experience, he can ‘sense’ the rushers coming. And he knows how to quickly glide a step this way or that. Can Lamar Jackson do it as well? Can any of the great running-QBs do that thing where he ‘hops’ left or right and then rifles a strike downfield? Marino could do it.
That kind of movement takes a certain amount of lower-body athletic skill but it also requires that ‘sixth sense’ about when to do it.
I’m often impressed by Stafford’s movement skills. He can buy himself that split-second he needs to fire a strike. He’s no statue in the pocket. He moves. He just cant ‘run’ anymore.
I agree with all that.
Especially the part where you explore the eerie similarities between Stafford and Jeff Kemp.
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July 13, 2026 at 11:43 am #164822znModeratorfrom Matthew Stafford’s season could have been even better if not for drops
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford put together one of the most efficient seasons of his career in 2025, one that ended with league-leading stats and an MVP trophy. But those numbers could have been even better if not for a litany of drops this past season.
Stafford lost 42.15 expected points added to drops, the fifth-highest total in the league, according to nflfastR and FTN Charting data (via Nutshell Sports).
A look at how much EPA quarterbacks lost because of drops during the 2025 NFL season.
Dak Prescott and Trevor Lawrence lost the most EPA to drops.
Drop data via @FTNFantasy charting pic.twitter.com/UyeMZQn0kW
— Nutshell Sports (@NutshellSportz) July 10, 2026
…In other words, Stafford was already playing at an elite level, and his receivers left a significant chunk of production on the field.
The drops were spread across L.A.’s pass-catching corps. Davante Adams led the way with five drops on the season, tied for the 23rd-most in the league among qualifying receivers, despite still posting a robust 110.7 passer rating on his targets and finishing with a league-high 14 touchdowns. Puka Nacua added four drops of his own, while tight ends Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higbee and Davis Allen each had three. Running back Blake Corum chipped in three drops as well, on just 14 targets — a 21.4% drop rate that stands out even in a small sample.
Nacua’s drop rate (2.4%) was still low relative to his target volume, but Corum’s number underscores how even marginal usage in the passing game came with inefficiency attached. Parkinson’s 5.4% drop rate and Mumpfield’s 8.7% also chipped away at possessions that could have extended drives or turned into scores.
Adams still finished as one of Stafford’s most reliable options by rate stats, and Nacua’s monster season (129 catches, 1,715 yards) speaks for itself. But the cumulative effect of two dozen drops on a quarterback who was already producing at a top-five clip in the league is notable. Had even half of those drops been secured, Stafford’s counting numbers — and his case in any MVP or Pro Bowl conversation — would look even more dominant.
For a 37-year-old quarterback often discussed in terms of what he has left, the 2025 drop data suggests he’s still playing at a level that outpaces the stats his teammates helped shape. The hope is that the disconnect that plagued Adams and Stafford early in the year doesn’t carry over into 2026, and the same goes for the young and inexperienced receivers who also dropped passes.
July 13, 2026 at 8:48 pm #164832znModeratorfrom ESPN, Execs, coaches, scouts rank top NFL quarterbacks for 2026: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/49315416/ranking-nfl-top-10-quarterbacks-2026-execs-coaches-scouts
their top 2 are Allen and Mahomes
#3.
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 5
Age: 38 | Last year’s ranking: 6Stafford’s MVP campaign vaulted him into the top three in convincing fashion. Stafford earned an impressive 17% of the first-place votes. He has not been a fixture in the top half of the voting since the inception of our top 10 lists in 2020, but Stafford produced the fourth season in NFL history with at least 45 touchdown passes (46) and fewer than 10 interceptions (eight). The others were executed by Aaron Rodgers (2020, 2021) and Brady (2007).
“Nobody played better than him last year, and it wasn’t even close,” an NFL head coach said.
Coaches saw a quarterback playing in rhythm, trusting his receivers and throwing to spots with elite anticipation and arm strength. And the addition of Davante Adams alongside Puka Nacua gave Los Angeles two No. 1-caliber receivers. Defenses couldn’t double-team both consistently, allowing them to win in a variety of ways. Adams capitalized on back-shoulder throws and go balls, coaches noted.
An NFL coach who studied the Rams’ film from 2025 noted coach Sean McVay’s brilliance in protecting Stafford with under-center, three-TE sets. “And then you realize, ‘Oh crap, they are actually throwing out of those sets,'” the coach said. That wrinkle kept defenses guessing all season — and kept Stafford healthy.
“Stafford and McVay is now the best quarterback-coach duo in the league,” an AFC offensive coach said.
It’s part of the reason why some voters are hesitant to elevate Stafford: His surroundings are clean. “The system helps him,” an NFL coordinator said. “He has an elite offensive coach and elite weapons. He’s great, don’t get me wrong. He has advantages that some of the other quarterbacks don’t have.”
July 14, 2026 at 9:10 am #164840znModeratorSleeperNFL@SleeperNFL
@PFF ranks their highest rated QBs in the clutch last season:1 – Dak Prescott
2 – Matthew Stafford
3 – Lamar Jackson
4 – Sam Darnold
5 – Josh AllenJuly 14, 2026 at 2:50 pm #164842wvParticipantSleeperNFL@SleeperNFL
@PFF ranks their highest rated QBs in the clutch last season:1 – Dak Prescott
2 – Matthew Stafford
3 – Lamar Jackson
4 – Sam Darnold
5 – Josh AllenI dunno what planet PFF lives on, but i watched Lamar Jackson last year.
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vJuly 14, 2026 at 3:49 pm #164843wvParticipantSaw a vid where they cited a recent survey of scouts, execs, and coaches. Ranking the top ten QBs:
1 Josh
2 Mahomes
3 Stafford
4 Burrow
5 Lamar
6 Dak
7 Herbert
8 Maye
9 Goff
10 Caleb.Stafford used to always be below Burrow and Lamar in all the surveys in the media.
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vJuly 14, 2026 at 6:52 pm #164846znModeratorI dunno what planet PFF lives on, but i watched Lamar Jackson last year.
w
vI would be interested in hearing what you saw.
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July 14, 2026 at 7:54 pm #164848wvParticipantI would be interested in hearing what you saw.
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The weird collection of nagging injuries he had last year just made him look like he was playing underwater or somethin. He looked confused, tentative, and slow. I mean he was always the most elusive QB in the NFL and he relied on that more than any other QB. He was getting run down by DLinemen every game. That had ‘never’ happened to him before. He lost his super-power and the Ravens were left with a very ordinary, frustrated, pocket-passer.
w
vJuly 14, 2026 at 9:37 pm #164851znModeratorThe weird collection of nagging injuries he had last year just made him look like he was playing underwater or somethin. He looked confused, tentative, and slow. I mean he was always the most elusive QB in the NFL and he relied on that more than any other QB. He was getting run down by DLinemen every game. That had ‘never’ happened to him before. He lost his super-power and the Ravens were left with a very ordinary, frustrated, pocket-passer.
w
vBut…PFF ranks him 5th! So…maybe you just saw him on a bad day? Or you accidently watched the Titans thinking it was the Ravens?
July 14, 2026 at 10:30 pm #164852znModeratorJuly 16, 2026 at 2:34 pm #164876znModerator.@richeisen shares his top 5 QBs list 👀
5️⃣ Joe Burrow
4️⃣ Lamar Jackson
3️⃣ Matthew Stafford pic.twitter.com/ubTOb6HHvq— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) July 15, 2026
July 16, 2026 at 2:38 pm #164878znModeratorA look at quarterback EPA per play inside and outside the pocket.
Brock Purdy, Matthew Stafford, and Jordan Love all stood out as highly effective in both situations last year.
Inside/outside pocket designation via @FTNFantasy charting. pic.twitter.com/17zsw8L2ly
— Nutshell Sports (@NutshellSportz) July 15, 2026
July 19, 2026 at 11:25 am #164907znModeratorBen Winoker@winokercommaben
What is the narrative explanation for why cautious Kirk is more successful than gunslinger Stafford? Because the smart money is on Small Sample Size NoiseScott Kacsmar@ScottKacsmar
Stafford (2016) and Cousins (2022) both hold the NFL record for most 4QC wins in a season (8).Stafford and Kirk were like two sides of the same coin for most of their careers.
You’re not making any valid point here.
July 20, 2026 at 8:43 pm #164926znModeratorWarren Sharp@SharpFootball
Comeback Kings:best QBs when losing in the 2nd half
*2025 regular season, ranked by EPA/dropback1. Matthew Stafford (+0.45)
2. Jordan Love (+0.31)
3. Bo Nix (+0.28)
4. Josh Allen (+0.28)
5. Caleb Williams (+0.27)
6. Brock Purdy (+0.22)
7. Patrick Mahomes (+0.22)
8. Drake Maye (+0.20)
9. Mac Jones (+0.17)
10. Dak Prescott (+0.16)
11. Baker Mayfield (+0.16)
12. Bryce Young (+0.14)
13. Sam Darnold (+0.13)
14. Tyler Shough (+0.10)
15. Justin Fields (+0.10)
16. Aaron Rodgers (+0.09)
17. Geno Smith (+0.07)
18. Michael Penix Jr. (+0.06)
19. Lamar Jackson (+0.06)
20. Jacoby Brissett (+0.04)
21. Jared Goff (+0.04)
22. Trevor Lawrence (+0.03)
23. Justin Herbert (+0.02)
24. Jalen Hurts (+0.01)
25. Jaxson Dart (0.00)
26. Daniel Jones (-0.03)
27. Marcus Mariota (-0.05)
28. Joe Burrow (-0.05)
29. Tua Tagovailoa (-0.06)
30. Spencer Rattler (-0.06)
31. Kirk Cousins (-0.12)
32. Joe Flacco (-0.13)
33. Cam Ward (-0.19)
34. C.J. Stroud (-0.25)
35. Shedeur Sanders (-0.31)
36. J.J. McCarthy (-0.40) -
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