Rams GM Les Snead prepared for life after Matthew Stafford

SANTA CLARA — With general manager Les Snead and coach Sean McVay locked in on new multiyear contracts, the Rams have turned their attention to quarterback Matthew Stafford, who has a big decision to make.

Does he return for an 18th NFL season or call it a career?

Does he commit for another year, maybe even push for a new contract that pushes his 2026 compensation from $42 million, which is middle of the pack for NFL quarterbacks, to the going rate of $55 million to $60 million for a quarterback of his stature?

Or does he walk off into the sunset and a life that provides all the time he needs with his wife, Kelly, and their four daughters?

Whatever the 37-year-old Stafford decides to do will shape how Snead and McVay attack the offseason.

“Because there will be two different teams, with or without Matthew,” Snead said Wednesday.

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Those are two entirely different vantage points from which Snead and McVay will approach free agency and the draft.

With Stafford, it’s about balancing the right now and the future. Adding pieces that accentuate a Stafford-led team but without losing sight of a soon-to-be Rams world that no longer includes one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks.

On the other hand, if Stafford pushes the fast-forward button and creates a crater-sized hole at quarterback, the club’s roster-building approach changes dramatically. It won’t be a full rebuild, necessarily, but clearly a world filled with far more questions than answers.

Do they trade for an impact veteran quarterback or aggressively use the draft to identify and develop Stafford’s heir apparent?

“At the macro level, when Matthew’s on the horse, we go, let’s make the most of our time with Matthew,” Snead said. “And we’re well aware that there will be a time where we have to transition.”

As eager as Snead and McVay are to get an answer and make whatever adjustments are needed, they understand the virtue of patience. They will extend as much as they possibly can to Stafford as he sorts through his decision.

“We’re gonna give him his space,” Snead said. “Let’s call it recover and rejuvenate, and then determine hey, do we want to get back on this horse again and go chase, earn and grab special moments together?” 

Coming off a season many believe will earn him his first MVP award, Stafford is still very capable of creating those special moments. 

“I think that if that’s something that he wants to do, the answer is absolutely yes,” McVay said. “I think what’s great is he’s going to take his time and talk with Kelly and the girls and see what’s best, but, man, is he still playing at an incredible level.”

It’s clear what McVay’s preference is, but he wants Stafford to take the necessary time to make the decision that is best for himself and his family. However long that might take.

“He deserves as much time as he needs,” McVay said. “We spend a lot of time together. I’m hopeful, but with respect to him, we haven’t set any sort of timetable. I don’t get the sense that he wants to let it drag on, either. We’ll see what he’s feeling. I’m keeping my fingers crossed like you guys that he wants to still play.”

No matter what Stafford decides this offseason, Snead understands it’s only a matter of time before the Rams must deal with life without their star quarterback. However long they have him in the fold, they want to maximize it.

“At the end of the day, we try to keep it simple,” Snead said. “Let’s make the most of our time with Matthew. And then when the time comes that Matthew says, ‘You know what, enough’s enough,’ then let’s be prepared to transition from there.”

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