JUST IN: Rams Are Poised To Reprieve Matthew Stafford After NFL Salary-Cap Up Surge

You’re gearing up for the Los Angeles Rams’ 2025 offseason, but before you can even settle into the rhythm of a new NFL season, you’re already drowning in the wave of rumors surrounding the team. From speculation about a potential Cooper Kupp trade to uncertainty over Matthew Stafford’s contract negotiations, Rams fans are exhausted by the noise before the real headlines even hit.

That’s the challenge of sustaining success in the NFL. Skill plays a role, of course, but beyond the endless hours of data analysis, there’s the unpredictable human element. Teams can crunch numbers all they want, but in the end, desire, development, and durability—along with a little bit of luck—make all the difference.

Put simply? Random chance.

I won’t dive into how free agency and the NFL Draft are dictated by the same probability factors as your grandmother’s weekly BINGO game. Instead, let’s shift gears. Amid the swirling speculation, the Rams may have stumbled upon an opportunity. Could this unexpected development be the key to bringing the team and Stafford back to the negotiating table for a deal that benefits both sides?

NFL team salary cap ceiling just went through the roof

When projecting future NFL salary cap space, capologists face more than just estimating player contracts and rookie deals—they also have to predict the league’s ever-changing salary ceiling. Because it’s safer to take a conservative approach and adjust upward later, early cap projections are often unreliable.

However, today’s update from the NFL, as reported by ESPN’s Dan Graziano, gives teams a clearer picture of the 2025 salary cap. This is particularly beneficial for the Los Angeles Rams, who have much of that increase already earmarked for pending contract extensions and roster moves—including a potential new deal for quarterback Matthew Stafford.

A great resource for understanding these numbers is OverTheCap.com, which provides not only projected cap space but also the number of players under contract for each team. This context is crucial as teams enter the offseason.

For example:

• The Chicago Bears are projected to have $60 million in cap space but only have 48 players under contract.
• The LA Rams, by contrast, have $41 million in cap space but already have 55 players under contract.

This distinction matters because of the Top-51 Rule, which governs how offseason cap space is allocated. Essentially, as teams fill out their 90-man offseason roster, only the top 51 salaries count against the cap. For the Rams, this means that any additional signings will push lower-salaried players off the books, minimizing the true impact on their available cap space.

With a firmer cap projection in place, the Rams now have better flexibility to strategize their offseason moves—including how to handle Stafford’s contract situation.