Sean McVay has said multiple times in the last year that as long as Matthew Stafford wants to keep playing, the Los Angeles Rams will happily have him as their franchise quarterback. But did that timeline change at all with the selection of Ty Simpson at No. 13 overall on Thursday night?
McVay doesn’t seem to believe so. He told reporters during his Round 1 press conference that it’s still Stafford’s team and the Rams’ decision to draft Simpson has no impact on their contract negotiations with the reigning MVP.
The Rams gave Stafford a heads-up about their plans to take Simpson, which was a similar courtesy given to Kyren Williams a couple of years ago, so it’s not as if he was caught off-guard by the move. And McVay says Stafford “was great” about it, unsurprisingly so.
Stafford just turned 38 in February but age is just a number for him. He’s fresh off a season where he led the NFL in touchdown passes and passing yards, winning his first career MVP award at the age of 37.
He’s aged like fine wine, getting better with each passing year, it seems. He’s played so well, in fact, that the Rams have held contract negotiations with him – and it’s not just to give him a raise. Ian Rapoport reported it’s more about the length of his deal, treating it like a true extension. Stafford’s current deal expires after the 2026 season, so he’ll be a free agent if the Rams don’t sign him beforehand.
It’s hard to imagine this move won’t impact contract negotiations, but we’ll see how it plays out. Les Snead said earlier this week that he doesn’t expect any “drama” with Stafford’s deal, unlike the last couple of years when the two sides negotiated reworked contracts.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Sean McVay makes clear statement about Matthew Stafford after Ty Simpson pick
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
