Matthew Stafford flips a football during their final OTA practice at Cal Lutheran University. The Rams quarterback is not flip about his contract status.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Stafford participated in voluntary offseason workouts, and coaches and teammates said there were no signs he was unnerved or distracted.
Stafford is no doubt all for an escalating quarterback market but can’t be overjoyed when comparing his contract to Detroit’s Jared Goff and Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, the latest to break the bank. If the Rams and Stafford cannot work things out before camp, Stafford could opt not to report regardless of fines.
That would be a ginormous distraction for McVay and the players. With backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo suspended for the first two games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances, Stetson Bennett would be on track to make his NFL debut in the season opener at Detroit.
If Stafford reports and his contract issues remain unresolved, McVay and other players will be asked about it every day. And Stafford — who has not spoken to reporters who cover the Rams since January — also will face questions at every availability.
