The Rams are looking into the future and might be willing to let Matthew Stafford walk away from LA. The franchise gave their star QB permission to test the market and evaluate his options ahead of the 2025 season as the contract negotiations linger on. His availability on the market could set off a chain effect in the off-season but an analyst believes that if the UGA Alum wants to stay in LA, he should settle for less money.
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Since getting drafted by the Lions, Stafford has signed five contract extensions and deals across his time in Detriot and LA. His career earnings stand at an astonishing $364.3 million. The Lions contributed $219 million of that while he has so far earned $145 million in LA.
John Middlekauff thinks the QB should stay put in LA and not chase more money since he’s already “really really rich. He has made Peyton Manning-level money.” Peyton Manning’s current net worth stands at around $250 million.
Middlekauff believes Stafford has got a good thing going in LA and he should take the Brady route and settle for less money in favor of winning. After wasting “over a decade” at an “almost irrelevant franchise and losing constantly,” the analyst believes the QB’s best interest lies in staying in LA.
“It doesn’t get any better than the Rams. I would have stopped this conversation. I will do whatever it takes. Let’s do a two-year deal for like $40 million guarantee every penny. I want to be here. I’m going to go Brady,” he said on the Colin Cowherd Podcast.
The Rams too are proving to be tough negotiators with Matt since they have already learned their lessons from the past about paying big money to aging QBs.
The Rams aren’t letting Stafford pull one over them
Stafford was in his prime when he landed in LA. Now he is closer to forty than thirty. He’s still better than most QBs in the league but signs of wear and tear are there. Age is catching up to him. Giving him a big contract wouldn’t be a wise decision for the Rams. They have already learned their lesson from the Todd Gurley situation.
The Rams are no longer willing to be in that position and therefore have put their foot down with Matt.
“The Rams are tough to negotiate with. Early on in their tenure with Les and Sean, they signed a deal they regretted with Todd Gurley. The Stafford thing, they have been tough with him. We will give you a couple extra million but we are not giving you 2 years of $100 million,” Middlekauff noted.
According to the analyst, both the Rams and Matthew Stafford have a bargaining chip. The franchise knows that UGA Alum likes playing for them and wants to stay. The QB knows that he can get more money because there aren’t a lot of shot-callers out there who would work in McVay’s system while taking hits in the pocket. But his options are also limited.
Should he really stop trying to drive a hard bargain and accept a lesser deal because he has already made so much in his career and prioritises winning?
