Matthew Stafford saga could end soon as ‘soft deadline’ approaches

What’s next for Matthew Stafford could be coming into focus.

As rumors continue to swirl over where he’ll be in 2025, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported Wednesday a “soft ᴅᴇᴀᴅline” is approaching on March 14, the third day of the new league year, when the Rams quarterback is due a $4 million roster bonus, per Spotrac.

Stafford’s base salary for 2025 is $23 million, with the roster bonus putting him at $27 million cash for the year.

Although March 14 is roughly two weeks out, Breer surmises “this gets done before then” given the legal tampering period starts March 10.

Stafford, 37, has been at the center of trade buzz for much of the offseason, even after leading Los Angeles to a Divisional Round playoff berth before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles.

The Super Bowl-winning quarterback, who was traded to the Rams in early 2021 after 12 seasons in Detroit, threw for 3,762 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions through 16 games in 2024, when the Rams finished at 10-7 and won the NFC West.

Stafford is seeking a new deal in the $50 million-per-year ballpark, “Good Morning Football’s” Peter Schrager reported Monday.

He has been linked to the quarterback-needy Raiders and Giants, the latter of whom his team met with Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

The Giants finished the season at a paltry 3-14 following the November release of quarterback Daniel Jones, who got off to a disastrous 2-8 start.

The Raiders, seemingly guided by minority owner Tom Brady, saw a revolving door at the quarterback position in 2024, resulting in a 4-13 record and the firings of head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco.

Stafford is widely seen as the biggest quarterback domino of the offseason, with his eventual landing spot having potential ramifications on a robust market of Sam Darnold (Vikings), Aaron Rodgers (Jets) and Russell Wilson (Steelers), among others.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter articulated as much Wednesday during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.”

“I think [the Vikings] have an interest in Sam, but what is the number that it’s going to be for Sam and is there another team out there that is willing to pay Sam more,” Schefter said from the NFL combine.

“And now we’re back to Matthew Stafford, because is Matthew Stafford staying in L.A. and if he’s staying in L.A., well then the Raiders didn’t get him. And if the Raiders didn’t get him, I think the Raiders would have an interest in Sam Darnold, but what if the Raiders get Matthew Stafford, then what happens to Sam Darnold, and there’s one less option. So you can see where the tentacles of the Stafford situation reach out and impact guys like Sam Darnold and Aaron Rodgers.”