The Los Angeles Rams were ravaged by injuries in 2022 and veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford was among the endless group of players that ended last season in street clothes. Following a forgettable year, Yahoo’s Charles Robinson believes Stafford is a potential bounce-back candidate for the upcoming season.
Even with the expectations at an all-time low in the Sean Mcvay era, is Stafford legitimately due for a big bounce back in 2023?
Injuries are certainly a concern for Stafford, who missed eight games in 2022 due to multiple concussions and a spinal injury. In the nine games that Stafford started a season ago, he completed 68 percent of his attempts for 2,087 yards, 10 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.
Stafford is just one season removed from airing it out for 4,886 yards and 41 touchdowns en route to aiding the Rams’ Super Bowl win in his debut season in Los Angeles. The gunslinging signal-caller is entering his age-35 season and not many believe he has a well-rounded supporting cast.
The good news for Stafford is that it’s tough to believe things can be worse than they were last season. The offense line was constantly deploying different combinations due to injuries, and Stafford was sacked 29 times in nine games (he was sacked only 30 times in 17 starts in 2021).
With their first pick in the 2023 NFL draft, the Rams took Steve Avila to strengthen the interior of the offensive line, and Logan Bruss figures to start after missing his entire rookie campaign in 2022. On top of that, Stafford will get healthier versions of Cooper Kupp and Van Jefferson after both of them missed time due to injuries a season ago.
Tutu Atwell showed flashes in his second year in the NFL and Tyler Higbee had a career year in receptions and targets in 2022. Puka Nacua, who the Rams took in the fifth round of this year’s draft, continues to impress this offseason and could earn a versatile role in the offense.
Unlike last offseason, the Rams have also had Stafford available to throw during OTAs and mandatory minicamp. Considering that the Rams will have plenty of inexperienced skill players on offense, getting time to build his rapport with them is invaluable for Stafford.
The addition of Mike LaFleur as the team’s new offensive coordinator also solidifies McVay’s stance on wanting to make drastic improvements in the run game. Having more success on the ground could lead to cleaner pockets for Stafford, which should limit the number of hits he’s taking.
Given the current makeup of the roster, it’s unlikely that Stafford will produce similar numbers as he did in 2021. Meanwhile, the franchise quarterback for the Rams is poised for improved production compared to last season, assuming he can remain healthy in 2023.
