Will the Rams want to find a way to elegantly move on from quarterback Matthew Stafford? Maybe. Have they? Nix.
With the trade deadline coming and going on Thursday and lacking a trade for Stafford, he will be with the team on Friday. Which means he will see another $57 million fully guaranteed.
Specifically, his $31 million base salary in 2024 will be fully guaranteed. Also, his $26 million option bonus must now be exercised.
Throw in his $1.5 million base salary starting in 2022 and a fully guaranteed $1.5 million base salary for 2023, and that’s $120 million either paid or owed to Stafford since Super Bowl LVI.
And yes, the Rams would (we’re told) welcome the opportunity to trade Stafford. If Aaron Rodgers had not decided to join the Jets, Stafford could have become Plan B if he would have been willing to go to New York.