Stafford (neck) said Monday that he expects to avoid surgery to address his spinal cord contusion and plans to be a full participant for OTAs in April, Cameron DaSilva of USA Today reports. "I had obviously the thumb a couple years ago, and then elbow stuff that I wasn't able to really participate in a whole lot of stuff when it comes to throwing the football for a long time," Stafford said. "So to be able to do that at a way more regular pace, which is exciting for me as a player, that's what I want to do. I want to be out there, I want to be able to throw and be a part of the team."

EDGE Analysis

After guiding the Rams to a Super Bowl title in his first season with the team in 2021, Stafford didn't throw in offseason workouts last spring while he battled elbow tendinitis. Even though he concluded the 2022 campaign on injured reserve, Stafford looks like he'll enter the Rams' offseason program more healthy than he was at the same point a year ago. Having received assurances from doctors that he won't require a potentially career-threatening surgery for his spinal cord, the 34-year-old Stafford has dismissed the possibility of retirement and also noted Monday that he remains committed to the Rams in spite of the uncertainty of whether head coach Sean McVay will stick with the organization in 2023.

Stafford (neck) said Tuesday he has no plans to retire, Cameron DaSilva of USA Today reports.

EDGE Analysis

Stafford simply responded "no" when asked if he intends to retire on "The Morning After" podcast, hosted by his wife Kelly. The veteran quarterback won't play again in 2022 due to a spinal cord contusion, but he's expected to avoid any sort of offseason procedure and instead make a full recovery through rehab. The 34-year-old signed a four-year, $160 million contract extension with the Rams last March, all of which is guaranteed for injury, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. It's possible the 34-year-old could be medically cleared in time for OTAs this spring, but the Rams look set to roll with Baker Mayfield for the remainder of the 2022 campaign.

Rams head coach Sean McVay said Friday that Stafford won't require any sort of procedure while the quarterback recovers from a spinal cord contusion, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Though some observers around the league speculated that Stafford might need surgery to address the injury if he wanted to keep his career going, McVay was adamant that the 34-year-old will be able to make a full recovery through rest and rehab and is expected to have a healthy offseason. While Stafford is on the mend, the Rams plan to finish out their season with waiver pickup Baker Mayfield as their starting quarterback. Stafford could receive full medical clearance ahead of OTAs in the spring as he heads into the first season of the four-year, $160 million contract extension he inked last March.

Coach Sean McVay said Monday that Stafford's neck injury isn't a long-term issue, and the quarterback is expected to have a "healthy offseason," Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

This essentially confirms Stafford is done for the year, which was expected after he was placed on IR ahead of Sunday's loss to Seattle due to a spinal cord contusion. However, this appears to be a promising update for the future, as a healthy offseason should allow Stafford to work out some of the kinks that led to a disappointing 2022 campaign.

Coach Sean McVay said Sunday that Stafford is dealing with a spinal cord contusion and will likely miss the remainder of the season, Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Stafford was placed on injured reserve Saturday and was ineligible to return until at least Week 17, and he'll likely be held out given the nature of his injury. The 34-year-old had also spent time in the league's concussion protocols in recent weeks and has appeared in just nine games this year. If he's shut down for the season, he'll finish the year having completed 68.0 percent of his pass attempts for 2,087 yards, 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions while rushing 13 times for nine yards and a score. John Wolford will likely continue to serve as the Rams' starting quarterback in Stafford's absence.

Stafford (neck) was placed on injured reserve Saturday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

Stafford is eligible to return in Week 17, but given the Rams' record through 13 weeks, it's hard to imagine the team will have much incentive to activate the Super Bowl-winning QB in what amounts to a lost season. The veteran quarterback began the year with questions regarding his damaged elbow, but Stafford seemed to ease those concerns with six consecutive weeks throwing for no less than 240 yards. While his 10:8 TD:INT ratio will go down as one of the worst rates in his career, it's hard to fault Stafford too much given the litany of injuries and poor play among the Rams' pass catchers. It's possible the Rams and Stafford could revisit the medical gameplan regarding his elbow given the 34-year-old now has an elongated recovery timeline, but expect more clarity on that situation to occur over the coming weeks.

Stafford (neck) won't play in Sunday's game against Seattle and remains uncertain to return this season despite clearing the concussion protocol this week, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Rams still have a ton of injuries on the offensive line and aren't realistically in the playoff hunt, so Stafford might be shut down even if he's medically cleared to play. He's dealing with a neck injury in addition to his second stint this season in the protocol for head injuries, leaving John Wolford as the starter Sunday against the Seahawks, though coach Sean McVay suggested he also could use Perkins, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.

Rams head coach Sean McVay said Wednesday that it's "safe to say" Stafford (concussion/neck) isn't in line to play Sunday against the Seahawks, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

McVay relayed that tidbit after telling Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com that Stafford still is in the concussion protocol and will be held out of practice Wednesday. Stafford hasn't made any noticeable progress through the protocol, and assuming he's eventually ruled out for Sunday's game, McVay will have to choose between John Wolford and Bryce Perkins as the Rams' starting quarterback this weekend.

Stafford (neck), who has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's game against the Chiefs, is showing improvement with his symptoms as he navigates the NFL's concussion protocol, and the Rams appear to view him as week-to-week, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

EDGE Analysis

Stafford was diagnosed with a concussion following the Rams' Week 9 loss to the Buccaneers, resulting in him being ruled out for his first game of the season in the team's Week 10 loss to the Cardinals. He returned to the lineup Week 11, only to exit early in the Rams' loss to the Saints after re-entering the concussion protocol. According to sources familiar with the situation, Rapoport notes that Stafford hasn't been officially diagnosed with another concussion, but the quarterback is dealing with crossover symptoms that has kept him in the protocol for the second time in three weeks out of an abundance of caution. Notably, head coach Sean McVay said that Stafford is dealing with a neck strain and experienced numbness in his legs after taking a hard hit against the Saints, but those symptoms have reportedly dissipated over the past few days. Even though the Rams enter Sunday's game sitting on a 3-7 record and will be heavy underdogs against the Chiefs with the unproven Bryce Perkins set to make his first career NFL start in Stafford's stead, the organization isn't yet considering shutting the 34-year-old signal-caller down for the season. The Rams will likely wait and see what progress, if any, Stafford demonstrates during their next three practices before deciding if he's ready to return to the lineup Week 13 for a divisional game against the Seahawks.

The Rams are uncertain when Stafford (neck/concussion protocol) will be available to play again this season, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

After he entered the concussion protocol for the second time in less than a month following his early exit from the Rams' Week 11 loss to the Saints, Stafford didn't practice in any fashion this week before being ruled out ahead of Sunday's game in Kansas City. As Schefter notes, Stafford suffered a strained neck in the game against the Saints, but he hasn't yet been diagnosed with his second concussion of the season, despite his inclusion in the protocol. However, with head coach Sean McVay noting that Stafford was experiencing some numbness in his legs after taking a hit in the game against the Saints, the 3-7 Rams could be inclined to take a cautious approach with the 34-year-old. Despite their unfavorable position in the NFC playoff picture, the Rams aren't yet planning to shut Stafford down completely, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. With that in mind, Stafford looks like he'll avoid being placed on injured reserve for the time being and will be evaluated on a game-by-game basis.