Recent reports say the Los Angeles Rams have given quarterback Matthew Stafford’s agent permission to seek trade options. The situation appears to stem from the quarterback’s desire for a pay raise.
Mike Tannenbaum’s Solution to Keep Matthew Stafford in LA
On “Good Morning Football,” NFL analyst Peter Schrager reported: “This is a money issue, and Matthew Stafford wants to be paid what he thinks he’s worth. He wants to be paid more than $50 million.”
Heading into his 17th season, Stafford is under a four-year, $160 million contract. While his base salary in 2025 is $23 million, his cap hit will be significantly higher at $49.6 million due to deferred payments from previous seasons.
With the Rams allowing the quarterback to negotiate with other teams, it raises the distinct possibility of him leaving Los Angeles. The franchise must now decide whether to retain Stafford or seek a new quarterback.
Former NFL general manager and analyst Mike Tannenbaum offered a solution for the Rams to keep Stafford. On a Feb. 27 episode of “Get Up,” he was asked how he would handle the situation if he were the Rams’ general manager. He responded:
“You are staying right where you are in Los Angeles. Greeny, this is easy. He’s 37, sign him to a two-year extension, roughly $50 million a year, that makes him about the top 10 highest-paid quarterback. … Re-sign Matt Stafford. You’ve got a good young nucleus, you have an iconic play caller, run it back for two years.”
In another segment, Tannenbaum discussed a potential replacement for Stafford if he’s traded:
“Aaron Rodgers. Greeny, if you really look at it, last year he played pretty well. (He had) 3,800 yards, 28 touchdowns, only 11 interceptions. He’ll be 42 in December. Not ideal, but what a great Band-Aid for the Rams in terms of a ‘we’re in win-now mode.’
“Buy some time to draft his replacement. So, not ideal, but Aaron Rodgers would be a great one-year Band-Aid in LA.”
Now that the New York Jets have officially announced that the franchise and Rodgers are parting ways, Los Angeles could be a strong short-term landing spot for him.