Matthew Stafford wants to be paid an arm and a leg this offseason.
The Rams’ quarterback is reportedly seeking a new contract worth $50 million per year, according to NFL Network’s Peter Schrager.
“[The Rams and Stafford] have a fine relationship,” Schrager said on “Good Morning Football” Monday morning. “This is nothing between them personally. This is a money issue. Matthew Stafford wants to be paid what he thinks he’s worth. He wants to be paid more than $50 million.”
Stafford was given permission to discuss a contract with other teams this offseason, while Sports Illustrated reports that the Giants, Browns, Raiders and Steelers have contacted Stafford.
Schrager added that other teams are willing to pay Stafford more money than the Rams are currently offering him. He has a cap hit of $49.67 million for this season, per Spotrac.
The Rams borrowed money from future years to give Stafford a pay bump in the past, but they are not willing at this point to do so.
Schrager wondered whether the Steelers would be willing to trade real ᴀssets and pay the star quarterback big money.
“Are the Steelers willing to give a first or second-round pick and pay Stafford $55 million?”
Schrager added that the Giants would never trade the No. 3 overall pick for Stafford but perhaps could part with their second-round pick in exchange for the star quarterback.
It appears that the $50 million number is just a starting point and Stafford wants at least that much for 2025.
He is entering the third year of a four-year, $160 million deal ($40 million average) that expires after the 2026 season.
Nine quarterbacks are currently making at least $50 million per year, including Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, Jared Goff, Tua Tagovailoa, Jordan Love, Trevor Lawrence, Joe Burrow and Dak Prescott.
Only one quarterback on that list — Hurts — has won a Super Bowl like Stafford.
The Rams are also in the middle of trading star receiver Cooper Kupp, who posted on social media that he was expecting to move on from Los Angeles this offseason.
Stafford’s wife, Kelly Stafford, had expressed displeasure with the idea of trading Kupp, something that FOX’s Colin Cowherd said was “tiring” to the Rams’ front office.
