Sean McVay wasn’t hesitant when queried regarding Matthew Stafford‘s worth to the Rams in early summer. “Obviously, I love him, love working with him. What he’s meant to our football team has been immeasurable in a positive way,” he stated in June. Stafford was never merely another veteran quarterback on the depth chart. He was McVay’s system embodied, the signal-caller who returned the Lombardi Trophy to Los Angeles. But two weeks into 2025 camp, the quarterback McVay once referred to as “invaluable” is now his greatest worry.

On August 2, the Rams officially announced that they had kept Matthew Stafford out of joint practices against the Cowboys because of ongoing back soreness. This is his second straight week without whole-team work. The 37-year-old saw spine doctor Dr. Robert Watkins twice within a 10-day period, and the Rams’ medical staff stepped back and adopted a week-to-week rehab approach. This is a significant change from the team’s previous confidence.

Sean McVay can’t dismiss Stafford’s struggles as part of a “long-term ramp-up plan” like before. As he mentioned on July 22 briefing, ”He’s been throwing. Feeling good. It’s not anything that’s necessarily new; something that he’s dealt with before.”

But with no return date set, the mood has shifted. And for a Rams offense trying to get back on track after last year’s meltdown, the timing couldn’t be worse.

Rest isn’t the issue. Stafford’s missed practices have overlapped with what was supposed to be the “building blocks” of the 2025 offense. The Rams typically keep their starters out of preseason games, which makes joint practices their only real shot at live reps. As of early August, Stafford and Davante Adams — Los Angeles’ biggest offseason acquisition — haven’t shared a single snap in a competitive setting.

They were supposed to turn their chemistry—especially on timing routes and red-zone leverage throws—into the offense’s hidden weapon. Instead, it remains unknown. Jimmy Garoppolo’s first-team reps resulted from Stafford’s back injury, but these joint practices did not intend that.

And now, the red flags are starting to pile up. First, the medical optics: repeated visits to a spine specialist in such a short span rarely point to a minor issue. Second, the communication rollback: what initially sounded like light load management has quietly shifted into an open-ended absence.  And third, we’re talking about a quarterback who’s taken over 2,000 NFL hits and played through a staggering number of injuries.

As CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan recently put it: “Until we see Stafford get back on the field and throwing for the Rams, our antennas should be raised.” The Rams are saying all the right things publicly. But behind the scenes, there’s a growing sense of nervous anticipation.

Succession plan looks shaky beneath the surface

Stafford’s injury does not merely create short-term issues. Indeed, it reveals a deeper issue that has been simmering for more than a year. The absence of a legitimate succession plan. The Rams doubled down on continuity this offseason. Passing on first-round quarterbacks during the draft and opting instead to sign Garoppolo to a low-level backup contract. But Garoppolo, though competent, is not a long-term solution in McVay’s system.

His camp reps have been steady, but no one is under the illusion that he brings the same command, zip, or improvisational upside as Stafford. His presence feels more like a placeholder than a solution. That leaves the Rams without a true QB2 they can count on long-term — and nowhere near a QB1-in-waiting. In a league increasingly defined by quarterback adaptability, the Rams’ quarterback room feels fragile, held together by Stafford’s presence alone.

The real danger isn’t just that Stafford might miss time — it’s that the Rams have built their entire 2025 blueprint around a 37-year-old quarterback with a surgically repaired elbow and a now-problematic back. Without Stafford operating at full strength, Sean McVay’s offense — which thrives on tempo, accuracy, and deep-intermediate reads — loses its engine.

The Stafford-Adams connection was supposed to be the answer to last season’s 10–7 disappointment. However, if Stafford’s body can’t hold up, the Rams might again have to depend on backup plans they did not intend to use. And that’s not a place any Super Bowl-caliber roster wants to be in come August.