The Los Angeles Rams and Matthew Stafford have now, in actuality, been at a contract impasse for nearly an entire calendar year. The two sides were able to slap a bandaid on the situation last season, but they are now back at the negotiating table, with the contract number (by average annual salary) at over $50 million.
Getting to this number would move Stafford from the 15th richest quarterback to inside the top nine. The latest news to surface is that the quarterback has been allowed to gauge his value with other teams. According to Peter Schrager, NFL insider and close personal friend of head coach Sean McVay, other teams have hinted that they would be willing to outbid the Rams.
Guess What? There Are Teams Willing To Pay Matthew Stafford More Than The Los Angeles Rams
“And of course in the NFL with coaches and players, they’ve given him the freedom to go seek out what might be some teams that would be of interest and if those teams would pay him,” Schrager said during an appearance on Good Morning Football, “And guess what? There are teams that are willing to pay him more than what the Rams are currently willing to pay him. The question is, does Stafford want to go to those teams? And what are those teams willing to give up?”
Confirming that other teams will meet his demands puts the ball squarely in the Stafford camp’s court. He has the choice to stay or go. Will he take a discount to stay?
“So you look at the teams and you look at the options for the Rams. Say you trade him to the Steelers, Schrager continues. “Are the Steelers willing to give a first or second-round pick and pay Matthew Stafford $50 plus million? And is Stafford willing to go play in Pittsburgh in the cold weather?
“And is Kelly and the four girls, are they going to want to go move out to Pittsburgh? How about the Giants? Giants, they’re not giving up the third overall pick, but would they be willing to give up the 34th overall pick and pay him $55 million? If that’s the case, does that make sense? The Raiders are an option. Who knows? You can go down the list.”
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