By Dianna Russini, Jourdan Rodrigue, Dan Duggan, Tashan Reed, and Vic Tafur

INDIANAPOLIS — Tensions continue to rise between Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and his leading trade contenders, the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders, as per league insiders.

Both teams have presented Stafford with potential contract outlines that outline what he could expect should a trade occur. Reports indicate that discussions have centered around two-year contracts offering between $90 million and $100 million in guaranteed money, with an anticipated decision coming soon; Stafford is scheduled to have a meeting with the Rams in Los Angeles on Friday.

The Rams and Stafford have not ruled out the possibility of a deal that would keep him in Los Angeles, as both parties remain in ongoing discussions.

Earlier this month, the Rams permitted Stafford’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, to negotiate with other teams regarding contract terms, a process that has extended into this week’s NFL Scouting Combine.

The Giants have reportedly met with Sexton as of Tuesday. The team currently lacks a quarterback on the roster but is expected to retain exclusive rights free agent Tommy DeVito. Throughout the offseason, the Giants have expressed their intention to secure a veteran quarterback regardless of their plans for the upcoming April draft, where they hold the No. 3 pick.

Stafford has emerged as their primary target; however, when questioned about him by reporters earlier this week, general manager Joe Schoen deferred comments back to the Rams.

The Raiders are also strongly pursuing Stafford, per league sources. With the second-highest cap space in the NFL and the No. 6 pick in the upcoming draft, they have the resources to compete with the Giants’ offers.

On Wednesday, sources confirmed that Stafford and Raiders minority owner Tom Brady had a spontaneous discussion at a ski resort in Montana, although the specifics of their conversation remain unknown.

According to league insiders, several members of the Raiders’ offensive coaching staff prefer the idea of acquiring a seasoned veteran quarterback rather than gambling on a rookie. The 2025 draft class is not viewed as particularly deep at quarterback, and by the time the Raiders are on the clock, only a few viable options may remain.

If the Raiders do not succeed in acquiring Stafford, it is unlikely they will allocate significant funds to other veteran quarterbacks expected to hit the market this offseason. Las Vegas currently has three quarterbacks on its roster—Aidan O’Connell, Gardner Minshew, and Carter Bradley—but none has established themselves as a reliable starter. Minshew is anticipated to be released, prompting the need for further additions to the quarterback pool.

While first-year general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll refrained from specifically mentioning Stafford during their recent media engagement, they emphasized their commitment to aggressively addressing the quarterback position this offseason. Carroll stated, “We’re not waiting for the future; we’re focused on immediate improvements.”

Sources indicate that the Rams prefer to approach Stafford’s potential future contract on a year-to-year basis. Historically, Stafford has earned an average annual salary ranging from $40 million to $45 million, following a contract extension he signed in the spring of 2022, which came after he led the Rams to a Super Bowl victory.

This salary positions him around the middle tier for quarterbacks in the league, despite his performance largely reflecting that of a top-10 quarterback during his time with Los Angeles. However, Over the Cap noted that Stafford’s cash salary after the extension ranks seventh entering 2025, totaling $152 million.

In 2025, Stafford has only $4 million guaranteed, following the Rams frontloading his earlier guarantees into his 2024 salary to resolve last year’s contract dispute. This was a temporary fix, and both the Rams and Stafford acknowledged that negotiations would resurface in 2025, as his current cap number for that year is set at $49.7 million, making it impractical to proceed with the contract as it stands.

Additionally, Rams head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead were scheduled to address local media via video conference this week, aligning with their regular routine during the combine, but that appearance has been postponed to an undetermined date.

Should the Rams part ways with Stafford, last season’s backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and soon-to-be-released Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers are both potential starting options for L.A. in 2025. Garoppolo is familiar with McVay’s offense and is well-regarded within the organization, despite only playing one game for the Rams in 2024.

Previously, the Rams showed interest in Rodgers prior to their initial trade for Stafford in 2021 amidst his own contract negotiations with the Green Bay Packers, as revealed by league sources. Recently, the Rams hired Alex Van Pelt, one of Rodgers’ former offensive coordinators, as a senior offensive assistant.

(Photo: Mike Lawrence / Getty Images)