Poll Question - Should Stafford Retire After 2023?

[GlendoraRam]

After 7 games, Stafford is statistically having one of the worse season of his career.

Last year, he battled injuries and this year, it seems something is not right with him physically.

The Rams can’t cut him next offseason, either. Doing so would incur a dead cap hit of $91.5 million, $42 million more than his $49.5 million cap number. A trade would result in a dead cap hit of $55.5 million, a loss of $6 million in cap space compared to his cost to be on the team.

With that said, should we all hope he retires after 2023?

This Poll is open to Guests, anyone can vote.

[Safety Blitz]

Over-rated. Now more than ever. He won't retire because of the paycheck though

[DelMar]

Of course he is declining and absolutely is not worth the $50M... but, it's not like we have a choice. We eat it either way like you said. I truly hope he retires at the end of this season.

But if he doesnt, we will still be ok next season if hes on the roster, mainly because we will draft OR trade for our new QB, and Matt can teach the kid the ropes in the NFL.

I am VERY excited for 2024, but I do not expect to win the SB next season, as it's the beginning of our dynasty. BUT, I do expect w all the DEAD CAP going away, having at LEAST $70-$85M in CAP space available, the massive haul of pics we have in the draft AND this 2023 draft class doing very, very well... I do expect to make playoffs next season and win at least 10 games.

Honestly, I would not be shocked in the slightest if AD and Matt BOTH retire at seasons end.

[Jodat43]

Cap wise, I hope Stafford stays in 2024. 2025 would be a lesser cap hit. I’m not sure what the McVay/Stafford dynamic is this year, but something is not right. I am not on the Caleb bandwagon, so if Bennett comes back after his situation and works for a roster spot, give him a chance. Sorry about the run on sentences.

[Truth]

Kelly Stafford ain’t letting 50 mil go. He will retire after 2024 for sure unless he wants to be a vet backup somewhere that makes nothing. Not many long time starters ever accept those roles though

[UtahRam]

He looked good in the first few games this season. Didn't someone just post a link that said we were leading the lead in drops? LOL

[GlendoraRam]

He looked good in the first few games this season. Didn't someone just post a link that said we were leading the lead in drops? LOL

I believe that is correct and Stafford is second to last in completion percentage.

[Fatboy]

That will be up to him ! There's alot of miles on those old bones, and they aren't highway miles ! -- the Fatboy

[Rams fan since 1973]

I think we will have to live with him for one more year(unless he gets seriously injured), which is always possible with Queeg at the controls?

[Ants]

I voted "yes", but part of that was due to his health. He won a SB, but he's clearly not playing well enough. Why take a beating?...just walk into the sunset.

[DelMar]

Oh God YES!

[Rams fan since 1973]

I vote for halftime

[RAMFAN71]

Even if we draft a QB, having Stafford would help in his coaching up the heir to be. Sit out a season. Lot of quality QB coming in draft.

[bigklein]

Unless a doctor tells him he can’t play anymore, he won’t retire. He’ll get paid. And for that money he should be like a player-coach and mentor a young qb or two. Would Stafford take a backup role with LA?

[Jacksnow]

I think he retired today.

[bigklein]

Unless a doctor tells him he can’t play anymore, he won’t retire. He’ll get paid. And for that money he should be like a player-coach and mentor a young qb or two. Would Stafford take a backup role with LA?

Backup roll? That’s a very interesting question. If we draft a QB, and Stafford wants to get paid, he really has no choice. At least that how I see it, after all is said and done, he is a Rams employee. Gotta do what the boss says if you want your paycheck.

[malibu]

Question if he retires are we still on the hook for the dead money? If we are it doesn't seem fair if a QB has a catastrophic injury and must retire it's not the team's fault and why should they be penalized. Also it's not fair to the player like a Stafford that has accumulated a ton of injuries over the career and we may not owe him a salary but a that dead money hurts the team on high priced players. It's almost better to say from the teams perspective we want you to play even though you don't want to and that doesn't serve the NFL pr machine well. When a team keeps a QB out on the field who probably should retire to not take the massive cap hit.

[GlendoraRam]

From what I understand (which is very little), once a player retires, the contract is basically torn up.
However, if a player retires mid-season, the dead money is still counted against the cap for that season. So, if Stafford retires after this year, he will be off the books.

Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

[Truth]

Yeah if Stafford can pass a team physical, he’s going to play next year and collect that money.

I don’t think any player has retired with that type of Guaranteed money sitting there. So I don’t expect Stafford to either.

Ideally they can draft Penix around 7 thru 11, then Stafford plays a few games next year before the rookie inevitably takes over. Rams aren’t gonna get a franchise guy at the top of the draft bc they won’t lose enough to get there. But they can still find a franchise guy in the 2nd like the Eagles did with Hurts, and possibly Titans have done with Levis.

[DelMar]

From what I understand (which is very little), once a player retires, the contract is basically torn up.
However, if a player retires mid-season, the dead money is still counted against the cap for that season. So, if Stafford retires after this year, he will be off the books.

Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

My understanding is this is correct. If a player retires before new season cal year, then all dead cap is gone the following seasons.

He needs to retire early in off season. I truly hope we don’t play this game all off season with him… will he or will he not.

[brasilrams]

Of course he is declining and absolutely is not worth the $50M... but, it's not like we have a choice. We eat it either way like you said. I truly hope he retires at the end of this season.

But if he doesnt, we will still be ok next season if hes on the roster, mainly because we will draft OR trade for our new QB, and Matt can teach the kid the ropes in the NFL.

I am VERY excited for 2024, but I do not expect to win the SB next season, as it's the beginning of our dynasty. BUT, I do expect w all the DEAD CAP going away, having at LEAST $70-$85M in CAP space available, the massive haul of pics we have in the draft AND this 2023 draft class doing very, very well... I do expect to make playoffs next season and win at least 10 games.

Honestly, I would not be shocked in the slightest if AD and Matt BOTH retire at seasons end.

So you are excited for 2024 even though our QB is shit and drafting ONE is a gamble that even if it WORKS , will take years for the rookie to turn into a top 10 NFL QB . Unless we TRADE again , for a veteran . But there aren't any available . So we are fucked either way . Either we ride with Staff ( Matt Ryan 2.0 ) or a rookie QB . NOt sure how the 2024 season can be any good with either option . Unless you are looking into 2025...2026....2027 ....by that time , the rookie we draft should have turned into a decent QB .

[brasilrams]

Yeah if Stafford can pass a team physical, he’s going to play next year and collect that money.

I don’t think any player has retired with that type of Guaranteed money sitting there. So I don’t expect Stafford to either.

Ideally they can draft Penix around 7 thru 11, then Stafford plays a few games next year before the rookie inevitably takes over. Rams aren’t gonna get a franchise guy at the top of the draft bc they won’t lose enough to get there. But they can still find a franchise guy in the 2nd like the Eagles did with Hurts, and possibly Titans have done with Levis.

We can trade UP if that is the case but EVEN with a TOP 1 pick , a rookie QB is a rookie QB . It takes YEARS for them to understand the NFL , read defenses and make good decisions with the ball . YEARS . Drafting a QB is like going " ok , let's just suck for 2-3 years until we can actually see what this guy is all about " . I would like the rams to go trade style again just like they went for stafford but there aren't ANY vets available that I like , and the rams could get for 1 first round picks .

[DelMar]

Of course he is declining and absolutely is not worth the $50M... but, it's not like we have a choice. We eat it either way like you said. I truly hope he retires at the end of this season.

But if he doesnt, we will still be ok next season if hes on the roster, mainly because we will draft OR trade for our new QB, and Matt can teach the kid the ropes in the NFL.

I am VERY excited for 2024, but I do not expect to win the SB next season, as it's the beginning of our dynasty. BUT, I do expect w all the DEAD CAP going away, having at LEAST $70-$85M in CAP space available, the massive haul of pics we have in the draft AND this 2023 draft class doing very, very well... I do expect to make playoffs next season and win at least 10 games.

Honestly, I would not be shocked in the slightest if AD and Matt BOTH retire at seasons end.

So you are excited for 2024 even though our QB is shit and drafting ONE is a gamble that even if it WORKS , will take years for the rookie to turn into a top 10 NFL QB . Unless we TRADE again , for a veteran . But there aren't any available . So we are fucked either way . Either we ride with Staff ( Matt Ryan 2.0 ) or a rookie QB . NOt sure how the 2024 season can be any good with either option . Unless you are looking into 2025...2026....2027 ....by that time , the rookie we draft should have turned into a decent QB .

See Will Levis

[Truth]

Yeah if Stafford can pass a team physical, he’s going to play next year and collect that money.

I don’t think any player has retired with that type of Guaranteed money sitting there. So I don’t expect Stafford to either.

Ideally they can draft Penix around 7 thru 11, then Stafford plays a few games next year before the rookie inevitably takes over. Rams aren’t gonna get a franchise guy at the top of the draft bc they won’t lose enough to get there. But they can still find a franchise guy in the 2nd like the Eagles did with Hurts, and possibly Titans have done with Levis.

We can trade UP if that is the case but EVEN with a TOP 1 pick , a rookie QB is a rookie QB . It takes YEARS for them to understand the NFL , read defenses and make good decisions with the ball . YEARS . Drafting a QB is like going " ok , let's just suck for 2-3 years until we can actually see what this guy is all about " . I would like the rams to go trade style again just like they went for stafford but there aren't ANY vets available that I like , and the rams could get for 1 first round picks .

I think with rookie QBs the team can contend by the 2nd year. McVay had lot of success with Goff’s 2nd year.

So I think the Rams can be good again in 2025