Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay is unsure of whether or not quarterback Matthew Stafford will practice on Monday as he deals with tightness in his hamstring. McVay is ‘not concerned’ about Stafford’s hamstring, but continuing to err on the side of caution as the regular season approaches.
Stafford left Wednesday’s joint practice against the Dallas Cowboys in Oxnard, CA early due to his hamstring, and has not practiced since. Stafford was pulled from practice out of precaution, and McVay said the following day that he believed Stafford would practice this upcoming week. McVay is currently unsure if he will return as soon as Monday.
The Rams have their last joint practice against the Houston Texans in Houston this Thursday, and it remains unclear if Stafford will participate then.
The 36-year-old’s mobility remains tight due to his hamstring, and the Rams using that as a determining factor for when he will return to practicing with the team.
McVay does remain confident that Stafford will be ready for the Rams’ regular season opener at the Detroit Lions on Sep. 8, and the question is how much practice time Stafford will get before the game.
“He’s going to be ready to be ready to go and to prepare against Detroit,” McVay said, via Rams.com’s Stu Jackson. “And if we miss a couple days this week, if that’s the approach that we take on the safer side, he’ll still have two and a half weeks of preparation for Detroit.”
The 15-year NFL pro is getting ready for his fourth season with the Rams since the Detroit Lions traded him to Los Angeles in 2021. Stafford has missed time in each of the last two seasons due to injury. Stafford was limited to nine games during the 2022 season due to a concussion and spinal cord contusion and missed one game last season with a sprained UCL in his thumb.
Second-year quarterback Stetson Bennett has been tabbed as the Rams’ backup quarterback for the first two games amid Jimmy Garoppolo’s suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. Bennett has seen the entirety of the reps through the first two preseason games but has struggled and thrown five interceptions during that action.
His struggles and Garoppolo’s suspension make it extra important for the Rams to take precautionary measures with Stafford.
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