The first seat in the NFL game of 2025 Quarterback Musical Chairs has been grabbed: Matthew Stafford will remain in Los Angeles.
The Rams and Stafford have reached an agreement on a restructured contract for the veteran to return to L.A., the team announced on Friday.
The specifics of the deal are expected to be finalized over the next few weeks -- likely after the start of free agency, which begins March 12 -- with a new restructured salary available then, Rapoport added.
The Rams last week gave Stafford's camp permission to talk to other teams about his value and gauge any trade options.
Rapoport noted that after talks with the Raiders and Giants, Stafford ended up taking less than he would've gotten elsewhere to stay in L.A., per sources.
In layperson's terms, the Rams got others to set the market and convinced Stafford not to uproot his family again by taking slightly less money.
Terms of the deal have not yet been reported.
Things had tilted toward Stafford staying in L.A. the past few days. Given the clubs he'd spoken to, the Rams give the 37-year-old the best chance to chase a second Super Bowl ring. The idea that the veteran might not want to move his family also became a talking point in recent days.
Staying with Stafford in L.A. is also his blindside protector. Alaric Jackson is re-signing on a three-year, $57 million contract, per Rapoport and NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero.
The Super Bowl champion quarterback represented the top signal-caller potentially available this offseason. With the recommitment to L.A. done, other dominoes can start to fall.
Clubs in on the Stafford derby, like the Giants and Raiders, will now have to turn elsewhere as free agency approaches.
