Stafford's indecision forces Rams front office to this action in 2025 NFL Draft

As the LA Rams prepared for the 2024 NFL season, veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford was unhappy. Unlike some NFL veterans, Stafford did not sit out of training camp. But he did make his dissatisfaction known to the media and to the team. Stafford wanted guaranteed money, healthy or injured. Eventually, the team caved into his demands.

The Rams and Stafford reworked his contract, accelerating his guaranteed money to fall in 2024. Stafford was happy. The team got its starting quarterback to return for 2024. All's well that ends well.

Or does it?

When veteran QB Matthew Stafford arrived to the LA Rams, he not only led the team to a 12-5 record, but he led the team to a 4-0 run in the postseason, culminating with a Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati Bengals by a score of 23-20.

He pushed teammate WR Cooper Kupp to the brink of setting every NFL All-TIme Single Season receiving record that year. He pushed teammate WR Puka Nacua to set the NFL All-Time Rookie Season receiving records. So yeah, the guy can play.

But let's be fair. It's not all masterclass performances from the wiley gunslinger. If he gets credit for the 4-0 run in the 2022 NFL Playoffs, then he gets toe-tagged for the 1-2 postseason record ever since. If he gets high marks for the Rams 12-5 record in 2021, then he get far lower marks for the team's 22-18 record since that season with Stafford under center.

In 2021, Stafford averaged 255.3 passing yards per game despite being sacked 30 times. in 2024, he could only average 235.1 yards per game, despite being sacked just 28 times. He threw for 4,886 yards, 41 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions in his first season for the Rams. This season, he's thrown for 3,762 yards, 20 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.

Matthew Stafford is a 37-year-old NFL veteran quarterback, and Father Time is catching up with him. Granted, he reportedly cracked four ribs in Week 15 but continued to start as the team's quarterback, and that is amazing. Beyond that, there are ways to rationalize Stafford's regression over 2024. Just examine this clever data table:

The thing is, Stafford has only worked with LA Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua for two seasons. His offenses with the Detroit Lions were not exactly laden with All-Pro talent. Yet his 2024 passing yards per game average clocks in as the fourth worst of his NFL career. His first two seasons were the first and second worst. And his 2022 season ranks as his third worst. The thing is, Stafford is getting too long in the tooth for the team to look the other way any longer.