Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and his agent are keeping one eye on the open market.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Saturday that the Rams gave permission to Stafford and agent Jimmy Sexton to speak with other teams about his value outside the walls of the team facility in Woodland Hills, Calif.
It should be noted this is not Stafford requesting a trade from the Rams. Instead, Rapoport reports Stafford gauging his value among other teams will make it "easier" to get a new contract signed and to keep the quarterback in Los Angeles.
Stafford has two years remaining on his contract and will count $49.7 million against the cap in 2025 and $53.7 million against the cap in '26. Per Spotrac, the Rams could cut Stafford this offseason and save about $4.3 million toward the 2025 salary cap, but their preference reportedly is to have Stafford under center for a fifth season in Los Angeles—and potentially on a restructured deal.
In 16 games last season, Stafford threw for 3,762 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions—adding to a 93.7 passer rating, his best mark since the Rams' championship campaign in 2021.
Stafford's scheduled $49.7 cap hit in 2025 is the fifth-largest mark among quarterbacks, trailing Dak Prescott ($89.9 million), Deshaun Watson ($72.9 million), Patrick Mahomes ($66.3 million) and Derek Carr ($51.5 million).
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Rams Grant Matthew Stafford's Agent Permission to Speak With Other Teams.