Ex-Lions QB Matthew Stafford May Be Replaced by a Familiar Face

Even though years have passed since Matthew Stafford has been the quarterback for the Detroit Lions, Detroiters still like to follow what he’s up to with his current team, the Los Angeles Rams. It did hurt to see Stafford go all the way with the Rams his first season with the team, but it helped the see the Lions beat the Rams in the playoffs the following seasons.

Now, Stafford is dealing with an injury. The Rams have actually been in training camp for almost three weeks now, but Stafford hasn’t participated in even one practice because of a back injury.

On Monday, August 11, the Rams were hopeful that Stafford could practice, but he just wasn’t ready yet. On Sunday, August 10, Rams head coach Sean McVay said he expected Stafford to participate in individual drills on Monday and had the plan to “take it a day at a time.”

But, during a chat with press on Monday, McVay said that even though Stafford had “a great workout” and “felt good” on Saturday, he “didn’t feel good enough” to participate in practice Monday. The franchise “didn’t think [practicing] was the right thing to do based on how he woke up feeling today,” McVay stated.

GettyQuarterback Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams and formerly Detroit Lions.

 

What’s Next for Former Detroit Lions Quarterback Matthew Stafford

During his chats with the press, McVay sounded optimistic about Stafford, but nobody knows what he’s really thinking. “I do think it’s important to be able to get some work in, but not at the expense of following the plan that we’ve talked about,” McVay told the media.

When asked if the Rams had considered surgery for Stafford, McVay said, “That hasn’t been a conversation that we’ve had.” He added, “I haven’t gone down that road yet in terms of those types of conversations. There’s been a lot of conversations about what’s the best method of how we want to approach it. That hasn’t been something that comes up.”

Now, in a piece published on Monday, August 11, Kenneth Arthur of Turf Show Times brings up the possibility of the Rams bringing Kirk Cousins into the fold to replace an injured Stafford. Cousins, of course, was the quarterback at Michigan State University before entering the NFL. He’s a hometown hero on the west side of the state.

Another Short-Term Quarterback Option for the Rams

“The Atlanta Falcons have been hanging onto Cousins and his $27 million salary for the entire season because it’s guaranteed money, but also because they’re waiting for a dire situation that forces someone to overpay in a trade,” Arthur notes.

He adds, “Wouldn’t you know it, the Rams have a potential situation developing at quarterback and the Falcons have two former Sean McVay coaches — Raheem Morris and Zac Robinson — teaching Cousins a playbook that would strongly resemble the one he’d have in L.A.”

Stafford’s contract with the Los Angeles Rams is short-lived. The 37-year-old signed a two-year, $8.4 million contract with the team during the offseason, including $8 million guaranteed and an average annual salary of $4.2 million. So, bringing on another veteran, short-term quarterback in Cousins isn’t out of line with what they’re getting with Stafford.

The longer Stafford’s injury drama goes on, the most ideas like this one will surface. So, don’t be surprised to see a familiar face, a Michigander, with the Rams, as crazy as that sounds.