Matthew Stafford is facing an uncertain future with the Los Angeles Rams, and there are at least two teams that are reportedly willing to write the star quarterback a massive check should he become available.
Stafford is set to make $23 million in base salary next season, which is well below market value for a quarterback of his caliber. He also has no significant money remaining on his deal. If Stafford and the Rams cannot agree to a restructured deal like they did last offseason, the 37-year-old will likely want to be traded or released.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, there are at least two teams that are ready to pay Stafford a lot more than the Rams are currently paying him. Russini said during the latest episode of her “Scoop City” podcast that the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders are willing to give Stafford $90 million guaranteed over two years.
The Rams reportedly prefer to pay Stafford around $40 million guaranteed for one season.
“It’s the Raiders and Giants that are the most aggressive in all this,” Russini said, per Andrew Peters of Bleacher Report. “And the type of deals we’re looking at, or that we’re talking about here for Matthew Stafford…it’s guaranteed money — two years, around $90 million. Compared to what the LA Rams are looking to offer, which is one-year deals around $40 million.”
Stafford is not a free agent, of course. In order to secure a larger deal from another team, he would need the Rams to either trade or release him. The latter seems unlikely, and the former may come with a very high asking price.
The Rams have reportedly given Stafford permission to speak with other teams about a potential trade, though they insist they want to keep him. Tom Brady is said to be recruiting Stafford to the Raiders. Two prominent reporters even had a heated confrontation this week over the extent to which Brady is courting Stafford.
Stafford, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, completed 65.8 percent of his passes for 3,762 yards and 20 touchdowns last season. The Rams won the NFC West and beat the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the playoffs.
