Matthew Stafford suffered a thumb injury during a Week 8 loss to the Dallas Cowboys that has left his status murky ahead of the Los Angeles Rams‘ bout with the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
Here’s the latest news on where the veteran quarterback stands.
Matthew Stafford Injury Update
Stafford injured his right thumb late in the first half of Sunday’s game against the Cowboys when his hand collided with Dallas defensive tackle Mazi Smith’s helmet on a two-point conversion attempt.
The quarterback had already hit his right hand on Micah Parsons’ helmet a few plays earlier but left the field after the second hit to his hand and went to the locked room before the half ended.
He returned for the second half but exited early in the third quarter after catching a pass for a two-point conversion and did not return the rest of the way.
Rams coach Sean McVay called Stafford’s injury a “UCL sprain in the right thumb” on Monday and described Stafford as “day-to-day,” according to The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue.
The crucial part of whether Stafford ultimately plays this week or not is how swelling subsides in his finger and how well he can grip the ball, according to Rodrigue.
MORE: Los Angeles Rams Depth Chart
It’s unclear at this point how far Stafford has progressed in that regard.
He has completed 166 of 278 pass attempts for 2,070 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions so far this season.
Rams’ Other Options at QB
The Rams could be incentivized to sit Stafford either way, given they have a bye after facing the Packers, and could then give him an extra week to get healthy versus potentially rushing him back early. Forecasted cold weather conditions in Green Bay could also play into the decision-making process.
In the event that Stafford is ultimately unable to play this week, the Rams do have other options at quarterback.
Los Angeles turned to Brett Rypien for the first time this season when Stafford exited on Sunday. The fourth-year quarterback completed 5 of 10 pass attempts for 42 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.
The Rams reportedly attempted to add to their quarterback room earlier in the week by signing Tampa Bay’s John Wolford but were later informed he would ultimately stay with the Buccaneers. Instead, Los Angeles signed Dresser Winn to its practice squad on Wednesday.
Winn went undrafted in 2023 out of FCS school Tennessee-Martin and initially signed with the Rams in May before he was waived in August. He then briefly signed with the Canadian Football League’s Edmonton Elks before returning to Los Angeles.
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