Turf Show Times
Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford returned to practice on Monday. Fans took to social media to voice their excitement with number nine back on the field.
The Rams held a relatively shorter practice that lasted roughly an hour. Stafford was in for 26 reps during team drills. It’s a positive development that the veteran was on the field at all considering he’s been absent for the last three to four weeks of training camp.
Still, Sean McVay threw cold water on the excitement of his quarterback’s return. The team is taking Stafford’s participation a “day at a time” and McVay did not commit to Stafford starting in the opener against the Houston Texans.
It’s worth remembering that from the start of training camp the Rams had roughly seven weeks to prepare for the regular season. Stafford has missed four of those weeks, leaving him with just three to ramp up and build chemistry with newcomers such as Davante Adams and Terrance Ferguson. That may be sufficient time for a veteran who’s played 17 years in the NFL, though the measuring stick is not whether Stafford is “ready to play” it’s whether he’s “ready to play well”.
We can debate whether a 70% Stafford is still better than a 100% healthy Jimmy Garoppolo or Stetson Bennett, but we also cannot ignore the fact that spinal injuries have a high risk of reaggravation. Alaric Jackson’s current status with his blood clotting issue keeps him out of team activities, and as of right now the Rams do not have their starting left tackle. LA will face an aggressive Houston pass rush in Week 1 that features Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter. It’s a certainty that NFL quarterbacks will take big hits. It’s uncertain whether they keep getting up, and that is especially a concern for Stafford given his long rehabilitation.
By no means are we done keeping an eye on Stafford’s practice status. We know that just over a week ago he threw 60+ passes and then was unable to join the team for a week’s worth of workouts. It’s about stringing together positive days in addition to preparing for the regular season.
Sean McVay isn’t willing to say that Stafford is back for good. We also shouldn’t buy-in hook, line, and sinker.
