Report: Rams prioritizing contract extension with Matthew Stafford

Matthew Stafford made an impression on Los Angeles in his first season, as he led the Rams to a Super Bowl victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. The Rams went all-in this season, acquiring Stafford ahead of the season and bringing in veterans Von Miller and Odell Beckham, among others, later on.

Now, it appears that the Rams are looking to lock up Stafford. According to The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue, extending Stafford has become a “priority” for the Rams.

“On a team level, the Rams have made Stafford’s contract a priority (alongside that of star defensive tackle Aaron Donald), in part because those deals will set the framework of their free agency puzzle as the new league year approaches,” Rodrigue said.

Rodrigue noted that one league source said that Stafford could fetch as high as $45 million per season on a new deal. While others don’t believe Stafford will net that much, Rodrigue’s sources said that they would be surprised if his new deal didn’t pay him at least $40 million annually.

“One league source said Stafford’s deal could go as high as $45 million per year — adding that, in light of expected cap inflation over the next few years and the expectation that the Rams would do something creative to the core of the contract structure to make it more roster-friendly, that number is a lot less scary than it used to be,” said Rodrigue.

Stafford saw immediate success this year with the Rams

Stafford started every games this season for the Rams, leading the team to a 12-5 record in the regular season, winning the NFC West title. He threw for 4,886 yards with 41 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

Prior to coming to Los Angeles, Stafford had just three playoff appearances. Each of them was a first round exit with the Detroit Lions. This postseason, Stafford threw for 1,188 yards, nine touchdowns, and three interceptions.

Stafford originally entered the league in 2009, when the Lions drafted him first overall out of Georgia. He has thrown for 49,995 yards in his NFL career, with 323 touchdowns and 161 interceptions.

In addition to Stafford, the Rams are optimistic about re-signing Odell Beckham Jr., who emerged as one of Stafford’s favorite targets over the postseason run. Von Miller is set to hit free agency, and the signs are beginning to point towards a return to the Denver Broncos.