Latest Matthew Stafford injury update could drastically change season outlook

At this point in training camp, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has yet to practice due to a back injury. And, until now, fans had yet to have reason to be overly concerned.

That changed in a hurry, though, as Adam Schefter has reported Stafford is dealing with an aggravated disc. The pain had been so bad that Stafford reportedly received an epidural for it as well.

In a word, that is alarming.

Matthew Stafford's injury is now a cause for more than just mild concern

If you were to do your own research, you'd find plenty of different thoughts on how and when someone could recover from this type of injury (mind you, the internet is full of varying opinions). But, the most common conclusion you'd come to is the fact that Stafford could take anywhere from 2-12 weeks to recover.

As a 37-year-old, Stafford is old by NFL standard. But, as someone who has kept himself in good shape as a professional athlete, you could also look at this from a positive perspective.

The reality is, Week 1 is one month away. If Stafford has been dealing with this injury for a little while now, maybe his recovery time can be viewed as having been a few weeks in already. But, depending on how severe the aggravated disc is, Stafford might still be a ways away from returning.

If he were to miss Week 1 against the Houston Texans, then it would be backup Jimmy Garoppolo under center for the Rams. That Texans defense is getting tougher and tougher under DeMeco Ryans, and Garoppolo would likely have to rely on the recently-extended Kyren Williams for the bulk of the offensive game plan.

Getting the ball into the hands of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, quickly, is also going to be of the utmost importance if it's Garoppolo getting the start.

For now, full-blown panic has yet to set in when it comes to Stafford missing the opener. But, if we get to mid-August and he's still not on the field, then the panic meter levels up a notch.