Rams GM: Stafford remains 'one of our pillars'
Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead said quarterback Matthew Stafford remains a key member of the team amid speculation regarding the status of several starters.
"We're going to definitely rely on Matthew, he's definitely one of our pillars," Snead said Thursday, according to Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times.
The Rams recently revamped its coaching staff under head coach Sean McVay. There's speculation they could part with multiple starters, including Jalen Ramsey, Allen Robinson, Leonard Floyd, and Stafford.
L.A. already released linebacker Bobby Wagner ahead of free agency.
Snead said the club has "taken calls on nine players" this offseason, according to ESPN's Sarah Barshop.
He said the team wouldn't undergo a rebuild but added that details surrounding the futures of Ramsey, Robinson, and Floyd would remain "in-house because time will tell," according to Klein.
"In a rebuild, you would just bulldoze the house down and begin rebuilding from the ground up," he said. "But when you have someone like Matthew Stafford, players like Cooper Kupp, Aaron Donald … there's some weight-bearing walls."
The Rams are $16 million over the salary cap, according to OverTheCap.
Stafford was an integral piece in the Rams' Super Bowl LVI-winning roster, throwing for 4,886 yards, 41 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions during the regular season. He signed a four-year, $160-million contract extension after the season.
The 35-year-old signal-caller was unable to match that output in 2022. Multiple injuries, including a spinal cord contusion, limited him to nine games last year. He passed for 2,087 yards, 10 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, recording a 68% completion rate.
The Rams finished the season with a 5-12 record, but Stafford said he'd return to the team next season.
L.A. is set to pick up his bonus option and fully guarantee his $31-million base salary for the 2024 season on March 17, per OverTheCap.