Rams have timetable for Matthew Stafford's recovery from sore back but don't plan to make it public
Stafford is
missing his second straight week of training camp
because of an ailment that has been bothering him in recent weeks.
McVay has been steadfast in his optimism that Stafford, 37, won't miss the season opener against Houston on Sept. 7.
'At this point, there is a plan in place. But what I don't want to do is give you guys a date and then, you know, if that does change, then there's assumptions that I would imagine that I would have if I was in your guys' shoes that can lead you to think, 'Oh man, something's really up,'' McVay said Tuesday. 'So we are week to week with him. ... What I don't want to do is set a timetable with you guys, and then, if for whatever reason as we're continuing to gain information, that changes. But what I can say is I feel good about this is the smartest plan for him, and we're very confident that he'll be ready to roll against the Texans, and we'll take it a week at a time.'
Stafford has guided the Rams into the playoffs in three of his four seasons with the team, leading them to a Super Bowl title in their home stadium to cap off his first year in Los Angeles following the 2021 campaign. But the veteran going into his 17th season also missed games in 2022 and 2023 because of injuries, prompting the Rams to add a proven backup in Jimmy Garoppolo before last season.
The presence of Garoppolo, who has started 64 games for New England, San Francisco, Las Vegas and the Rams, is allowing the Rams to continue preparations for the season during camp at Loyola Marymount University as they would have with Stafford running the offense.
McVay described Garoppolo as one of the main reasons the Rams can afford to be patient with Stafford's health.
'There's nobody like Matthew, we know that, but to be able to have somebody that has done all the things that you're mentioning, going into Year 12, played in big games. ... Now we're still able to evaluate the other 10 around him, and we're able to kind of continue on with the installations where that hasn't always been the case with us if we needed to be smart and rest Matthew,' McVay said. 'We'll certainly be really excited when we get No. 9 back out here for us, but in the meantime, I've been really pleased with Jimmy.'
___
AP NFL:
https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
14 minutes ago
- USA Today
What a potential trade package for Micah Parsons would look like for Bears
The Chicago Bears should be all in on Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons. This is what the trade may look like. Dallas Cowboys star defender Micah Parsons made headlines when he requested a trade from the organization on Friday after contract negotiation issues. Feeling frustrated and angry with the Cowboys, Parsons wants out. Every team in the NFL is going to make the phone call to inquire about his potential availability (even if Dallas isn't actively looking to move him), but this is a move that truly makes sense for the Chicago Bears as they desperately need pass-rushing help opposite of Montez Sweat. If general manager Ryan Poles and the Bears were to pull off a move like this, what would it cost them? There are a lot of interesting possibilities in terms of what a package to acquire Parsons would look like. Micah Parsons potential trade package (Bears-Cowboys) To land Parsons, the Bears would likely have to give up a little bit more than they did to acquire Khalil Mack back in 2018. In that deal, they traded two first-round picks, a third, and a sixth rounder to get Mack. Parsons is better, and one year younger, than Mack was at the time of that trade. Parsons is one of two players in NFL history (along with Reggie White) to have 12-plus sacks in each of his first four NFL seasons. Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen would have a field day inserting Parsons into the lineup opposite Sweat as a pass rusher. With a great secondary and competent linebackers that the Bears have behind them, this could be a dominant defense right away. If the offense turns into the unit that everybody believes they could become under head coach Ben Johnson, that would make for a really solid football team. Trading tight end Cole Kmet, in addition to all of those draft picks, would be tough, but you have to give up good assets to bring in elite talent. Kmet will play a big role with the Bears in 2025, if he isn't traded, but he's no longer the primary focus at tight end with first-round rookie Colston Loveland coming into the fold. Also, sending away that much draft capital in the coming years is always a tough decision, but icah Parsons is one of the 20 or so players in the NFL that you move mountains to acquire. They won't miss those draft picks much if he comes to Chicago and continues dominating the way that he has in recent years with Dallas. You can trade out a pick here or there, you can use a different high-end player instead of Kmet, but you are going to pay a hefty price in a deal like this. There is some risk that comes with it, but winning a Super Bowl never comes without a few risks that pay off. Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
Newsweek
15 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Philadelphia Eagles Rival Shows Love to Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Jameis Winston might be a member of the New York Giants, but the NFC East quarterback hasn't inherited any bad blood towards the Philadelphia Eagles' star combination of Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley. In fact, Winston seemingly enjoyed their success last season. "I'm grateful that Saquon is getting his flowers and he is showing the world what type of dynamic back he is, not just in between the trenches, but outside as well, catching the ball," Winston recently said on 'The Pivot.' "Him and Jalen, man, are what the league never wanted to see," he added. '(Saquon) & Jalen are what the league never wanted to see' - Jameis Winston on the @Eagles' stars. Both @saquon & @JalenHurts have been doubted, but @Jaboowins said they have defied the odds. Saquon had a team that didn't believe in him, & even with a Super Bowl MVP Hurts… — Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) July 31, 2025 Barkley turned out to be one of the most dominant players in all of football during his first season with the Eagles. While he's been a force since entering the NFL as the second-overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Barkley had a ceiling he hadn't reached with the New York Giants. With a strong offensive front out in Philly, Barkley nearly snatched the NFL's all-time single season rushing record. And while many believe that Jalen Hurts' success has just been a beneficiary of Barkley's dominance, Winston had flowers for Jalen, too. Jalen Hurts #1 and Saquon Barkley #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles react after defeating the Los Angeles Rams 28-22 in the NFC Divisional Playoff at Lincoln Financial Field on January 19, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.... Jalen Hurts #1 and Saquon Barkley #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles react after defeating the Los Angeles Rams 28-22 in the NFC Divisional Playoff at Lincoln Financial Field on January 19, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More"Jalen is poised," the veteran quarterback added. "He's gonna get, like, the simple stuff. He's gonna get five yards here, eight yards there, nine yards there, three yards there, and then, boom, he'll [throw a bomb]. They said we were never able to play like that from a quarterback position." Last season, Hurts posted his lowest passing yardage total since his sophomore season with the Eagles. Although he threw for just under 3,000 yards and only 18 touchdowns, Hurts posted his most accurate throwing season, notching a career-high 104 passer rating. Hurts took advantage of what was given to him more often than not, and he won football games as a result. The doubt is still alive and well, but Winston surely isn't in that pack. "Jalen is still Jalen, still getting doubted by naysayers, and all he's done is, what I said is the most important thing a quarterback can do? Win," Winston said. "Win! That's all a quarterback has to do." As for Barkley, Winston overheard those critics as well. "Saquon is too shifty, he doesn't run down, he doesn't run in between the tackles, he dodges tackles and stuff," Winston said. "They were like, 'Oh, you're not going to be a player, a finesse back isn't gonna be able to make it like that.' And they are out beating the odds. Both of them." Barkley appeared in 16 games last season. He led the NFL with 345 carries, which resulted in a 2,005-yard season. He scored 13 touchdowns on the ground and caught two more in the air. In total, Barkley led the NFL with 2,283 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns. He was nearly named the league's MVP. As for Hurts, he went from having a quietly productive regular season to breaking out in the playoffs. The Eagles' quarterback completed 71 percent of his passes for 726 yards and five touchdowns. He was named the Super Bowl LIX MVP, as Philadelphia capped off a successful season. For more Philadelphia Eagles and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
USA Today
44 minutes ago
- USA Today
ESPN analyst ranks New York Giants' coaching staff dead last in NFL
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll was named the NFL's Coach of the Year in 2022, his first season on the job. The Giants finished at 9-7-1, their first winning season in six years, and qualified for a playoff berth. The Giants appeared to be on their way to a new era of prosperity. It was not meant to be. Injuries and poor play at quarterback led to two dismal seasons and a cumulative 9-25 record. Daboll went from promising coach of the future to almost getting fired. But Giants co-owner John Mara decided to display some patience and keep Daboll on. He had hired and fired three other coaches since 2015, trying to replace Tom Coughlin, and all had failed. The football world is well aware of the Giants' woes. Big Blue has not fared well in national polls, and rightfully so. In a recent ranking of NFL coaching staffs by ESPN's Ben Solak, the Giants finished dead last. While the offensive brain trust of Daboll and Kafka has yet to string together multiple seasons of above-average offense, there are pockets of innovation. It's not much to hang a hat on, but if and when we see Jaxson Dart this season at quarterback, I expect the team to have some smart, easy ways to get him into a rhythm and involved in the running game. I can at least see the visions in New York, even if the plane often struggles to get off the ground. I have a warmer appreciation for Bowen, who is always willing to get creative with alignment and coverages to solve personnel problems on the back end. The 2024 Giants' defense was definitely poor, but they have overhauled the secondary and added to the pass rush this offseason, so I'm happy reserving a stronger judgment for Year 2. As it is, the best defensive season for Bowen was with the 2022 Titans, which was just above a league-average unit. Of course, Daboll's best seasons came with the much-improved Josh Allen at the helm in Buffalo -- otherwise, his best work was the 2022 season with Daniel Jones, which was also a league-average unit. And again, critically, was not sustained, developed or iterated on. It's tough to believe in a high ceiling with the Giants' current staff. Daboll can be blamed for a lot here. Even though he's got five Super Bowl rings as an assistant and a college national championship to his credit, he's been an under-performing head coach. He knows it, too. He's been fine-tuning his staff and concentrating on being less of a micro-manager. The criticism of Kafka isn't really fair. He didn't have playcalling responsibilities last year, and injuries forced him to start four different players at quarterback. The offensive line was again a mess, and points were hard to come by. Bowen was in the first year on the job, and his approach was a big contrast to that of his predecessor, Wink Martindale. Injuries to his best two players (Dexter Lawrence, Bobby Okereke) didn't help.
