Rams QB Matthew Stafford takes 'step in the right direction' in second practice, coach Sean McVay says

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford made his training camp debut this week, snapping a prolonged absence due to an aggravated disc in his back. He is on an upward trajectory, Rams coach Sean McVay said, after his second day of practice, and the goal is to build on his step forward as the team approaches its season opener against the Houston Texans.

There is still no indication, however, where Stafford stands with regard to his availability for that Week 1 contest. McVay said Monday that discussing his status for the opener would be "putting the cart way before the horse." But his takeaways from Stafford's second day of participation paint a bright picture for his outlook less than three weeks in advance of the campaign.

"I thought he looked good," McVay said after Tuesday's practice. "I thought he looked better than yesterday. I thought it was a step in the right direction. We're going to continue to hope that he's able to stack days and feel good. That's what's happened so far. I thought there was some good rushes that we had where we had to move and manipulate the pocket, activated all parts of the field."

The expectation was that Stafford would return to practice last Monday, but that prognostication proved overzealous. He threw 68 passes at the team facility the weekend prior but suffered a setback in his timeline as he required an additional ramp-up week.

"I think yesterday was good for him to be able to get a feel," McVay said. "I think it was good for him to be able to go through the whole practice. You could see as he gets himself immersed in team activities, he's just totally present and getting his feet wet a little bit. I thought today was definitely a positive step in the right direction, and we're going to continue to hopefully stack days like that."

With Stafford back on the field, Jimmy Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett would return to their backup roles. Stafford leads a Rams starting unit that last year went 10-6 behind his 65.8% completion rate, 3,762 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He guided the Rams to the playoffs but fell in the divisional round.

Despite his age at 37, Stafford remains more than capable of leading a high-powered offense and closed the 2024 season on a hot streak. He has been one of the NFL's top late-season performers at the quarterback position since his arrival in Los Angeles and enters the 2025 campaign in search of a second Super Bowl with the franchise.