Stafford signs revised contract

Matthew Stafford reporting to Rams training camp with reworked contract

By Jourdan Rodrigue and Larry Holder

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5653568/2024/07/23/matthew-stafford-rams-training-camp/?source=emp_shared_article

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford reported Tuesday afternoon to the team’s training camp with the lingering issue of his contract seemingly resolved. Rams coach Sean McVay confirmed the new deal during Tuesday’s pre-training camp news conference — one that was delayed by several hours on Tuesday morning as the team and Stafford renegotiated the deal.

Stafford previously had $31 million in guarantees coming in 2024, but the 2025 season ensured just $15 million of his $27 million salary was guaranteed and none of his $26 million was guaranteed in 2026, according to a team source. McVay confirmed reports in April that Stafford was seeking more guarantees on the deal, which now will be adjusted though not extended. The new details of Stafford’s contract weren’t immediately available.

McVay declined to comment on whether the team was preparing for the possibility of a holdout, but as late as Tuesday morning, team and league sources were unsure whether Stafford would arrive at training camp by the report deadline on Tuesday at noon.

Stafford, 36, is coming off his second Pro Bowl season in 2023 after throwing for 3,965 yards with 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while guiding the Rams to a playoff appearance. The Super Bowl LVI-winning passer missed two games last season with a right thumb injury.

Rams ‘want to work toward figuring’ out Matthew Stafford’s contract

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Stafford’s multi-layered stance

This situation had been simmering with no resolution since the early spring. I believe the initial report leaked not only because Stafford would like to be compensated more closely to the league’s top quarterbacks after an excellent 2023 season, but also as a signal to the league overall that he believes he can play at a high level for the next several years. McVay noted that not all of the reasons Stafford wanted an adjusted deal were financially motivated.

Meanwhile, the Rams signed backup Jimmy Garoppolo to a one-year deal this spring, but he is suspended for the first two games of the regular season for violating the NFL’s Performance Enhancing Substances Policy. Third-string quarterback Stetson Bennett re-joined the team in the offseason after spending his rookie year on the non-football/illness list with what he described as a mental health issue.

As of today, with Jordan Love signing, Stafford ranks 13th among NFL qbs in terms of avg. amount per year.

So we’ve reached the stage in the NFL with qb contracts where 40 M is a bargain.

from Albert Breer: https://www.si.com/nfl/kyler-murray-cardinals-lockstep-under-jonathan-gannon-takeaways

Players have gotten bolder in asking for mid-contract raises. Matthew Stafford just got one in Los Angeles. Christian McCaffery got one in San Francisco, which sure might’ve pushed Trent Williams to hold on and look for one of his own. Alvin Kamara got one in New Orleans, too. Maxx Crosby accomplished the same in Las Vegas. And all of these guys did it with multiple years left on their deals.

So what gives?

I think it’s players being more cognizant of a few things. First, their own football mortality, and the reality that when it becomes real, teams are rarely sympathetic in honoring the nonguaranteed years on the back end of contracts—which means if you can get money moved up, you should. Second, they have leverage in having some financial security, which lends the freedom to incur fines, and make their teams feel their absences, and what those can do to a team’s morale. And, third, that they’re helping their teammates more than hurting them by drawing a hard line, creating a precedent for guys to be paid their worth.

It worked for Stafford, who had the precedent the Rams set in paying Aaron Donald with three years left on his deal. Ditto for McCaffrey, whose success may have nudged Williams to try and get his. Same with Crosby, who got a promise from the team when things were chaotic, and held the team to that promise.