Rams’ revised Matthew Stafford contract highlights ‘win-now’ window

One of the biggest storylines of the Los Angeles Rams offseason has been the Matthew Stafford contract. Following some speculation that Stafford could get traded during the NFL Combine, the two sides came to an agreement and it is likely that the quarterback finishes his career in Los Angeles.

While Stafford and the Rams came to an agreement, nothing was ever set in stone. The sides agreed on a deal’s framework, but nothing had been signed. Following the NFL Draft, the details of Stafford’s new, revised contract have been released.

 OverTheCap

Stafford’s newly revised deal opens up $8.7 million in 2025, dropping his cap hit from $49.67 million to $40.97 million. Heading into the summer, that will give the Rams $24.6 million in effective cap space. According to OverTheCap,

“Stafford and the Rams agreed to a new two year $80 million contract in 2025. The new contract has $40 million in guarantees. This is a $26 million raise from his prior contract with $17 million coming in the first year. Stafford has multiple option bonuses worth up to $24 million in both 2025 and 2026. There are multiple void years for salary cap purposes. Stafford’s cap number in 2025 decreased by $8.7 million as a result of the new contract.”

That extra cap space allows for more player signings if needed or to take on the contract of a certain Miami Dolphins cornerback. During the draft, there were reports that the Rams were one of the teams that have inquired on Jalen Ramsey. If Ramsey has his choice, a return to the Rams is likely the most attractive destination.

Looking at the future years of the deal, it remains very team friendly. Stafford’s cap hit in 2026 is just $41.77 million. There are several void years added to the backend of the deal, including a $33.6 million cap hit in 2027. However, the Rams should be able to take that on especially if they have a quarterback on a rookie deal.

The primary issue with the former structure of Stafford’s contract was guaranteed money and the current deal has $40 million in guarantees. Still, this is a very team-friendly contract. As it stands, Stafford will be the fifth-highest paid quarterback in 2025 and 14th highest-paid quarterback in 2026. His $40-million average per year ranks 15th and his total guarantees rank just 17th.

With the structure of Stafford’s revised contract, it really emphasizes the Rams current ‘win now’ window. The Rams will be pushing to win for the next two years after setting up the roster nicely in the draft in 2023 and 2024. This is now a team that is set up to spend money in free agency. The Rams were able to spend this offseason and next year they have the fifth-most cap space at $82.7 million.

As mentioned earlier, they also have the cap space this season to make a trade for a star and take on a contract if needed. They will also have the ability to sign a player or two before training camp if that’s something that they want to do. By trading for an extra first-round pick in 2026, the Rams have the flexibility to trade for a star.

After going through a competitive rebuild over the last two years, the Rams are set up once again to win. The window is wide open and it’s clear that the front office is setting themselves up to do what they can with the opportunity. However, this time, the Rams aren’t mortgaging their future. They’ve planted one foot in the ‘win now’—and the other in what’s next. If all goes well, the Rams can compete the next two years and then have a pretty seamless transition into the next era.

Lastly, the contract provides some clarity when it comes to Stafford’s future. As Stafford gets older, speculation will naturally follow about how much longer he’ll play. The fact that he has committed to two years and both years have guaranteed money is reason to believe that 2026 could be his last. Circumstances can obviously change. However, there is good reason to believe that Stafford has two years left.

Unlike the last two offseasons, the Matthew Stafford contract situation is not going to add drama heading into training camp. With the contract now resolved, the Rams can focus squarely on football as the offseason begins.