Are the Rams Having a Matthew Stafford Problem?
The Los Angeles Rams have been without Matthew Stafford, with limited availability as he deals with an aggravated disk in his back. The Rams continue to monitor Stafford and are being careful with the type of injury he's dealing with, as they have held him out of training camp so far and preseason games. They don't fully have the answers to Stafford's situation, but are confidently eyeing a Week One start. There have been new additions on the offense, and the backups have stepped up as they wait for their starting quarterback to finally get healthy.
Stafford Situation Today
It seems like the Rams are trying everything to get Stafford back healthy. The 37-year-old, who has been getting epidurals in his back to ease the pain, had a workout this past Saturday at the Rams’ facility in which he threw over 60 passes with no limitations. That seemed like a positive note based on him ramping up, yet after a not-so-great answer, or at least not the answer people wanted to hear, it raised the question of just how serious Stafford's injury is and whether he will actually be available to start the season. When speaking to reporters after that workout, Rams’ head coach Sean McVay mentioned that despite a strong showing, “He didn’t feel good enough” to throw in an individual drill practice that was scheduled for him the following Monday. Now, this week, Stafford is scheduled for a second workout to see where he’s at, and McVay told reporters on Thursday that he hopes “his back responds a little better.” He later added, “We’re trying some things that are hopefully going to be in alignment with getting him back on the field.” The Rams seem to be in a grey area, searching for the right answers to make their quarterback comfortable enough to suit up and not miss significant time, especially as the season approaches. It comes into question whether the injuries of the past have stacked up and created a situation he cannot turn the page on yet.
The Past That May Be Peaking Through
Stafford has not been shy of injuries, as the NFL is a contact sport, but the back issues are the ones that have taken him away from the game for significant stretches. In 2019, Stafford was sidelined and expected to miss six weeks after discovering he had fractured bones in his back, and he was not practicing. Due to the seriousness of the injury, it kept him out for the rest of the season. Then, during Week 11 in 2022, Stafford suffered a spinal cord contusion, an injury that caused numbness in his legs, ended his season, and placed him on injured reserve. These injuries are not something the Rams are taking lightly, and they are understandably being extra cautious. With the severity of his past back issues, it seems like the answers are not up to Stafford or the trainers. It comes down to how much his back can take.
So What Now?
So what do the Rams do now? Even though he is slowly ramping up, with the hope and expectation that he will be ready by Week One, at 37, the Stafford saga may be nearing its end in the NFL, at least in Los Angeles. There still seems to be uncertainty, with the team weighing its options on what this situation could become. Will future issues come up during the season? Can he even finish a season with the Rams? What is the Rams’ future? Is this a team that should be looking around the league for young talent that could work with this roster? Do they trust Jimmy Garoppolo? The Rams do not seem like a team looking to play to lose, given the talent they have on both sides of the ball. This is a team trying to contend, but it cannot fully visualize what it can be without a healthy quarterback.
