Matthew Stafford injury update: NFL Insider outlines timeline in Rams QB’s recovery

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has still been limited with a back issue during the team’s next stretch of camp. Now, as far as his rehab goes, Saturday sounds to be crucial in where he stands for the remainder of the month through the preseason.

On ‘Get Up’ on Friday, ESPN’s Dan Graziano provided the latest on Stafford’s back injury. He noted that Stafford is expected to work out tomorrow, prior to the preseason matchup between Dallas and Los Angeles. His status will be better determined then going into next week’s joint practices with the LA Chargers.

“Matthew Stafford has been sitting out with a back issue. The Rams plan – and Sean McVay, their head coach, said yesterday this has been the plan all along – is to work him out before tomorrow’s preseason game and, assuming he feels good off of that, work him into practice next week,” Graziano said. “They have a joint practice next week against the Chargers. They’ll hold him out of that because they just want to put him into as controlled an environment as possible. But this is what we’re keeping an eye on. If Stafford feels good enough after tomorrow’s pregame workout to return to the practice field next week, that will tell us that the Rams’ plans for him, getting him ready for week one, is on track. He has a setback tomorrow or early next week? Then there will be reason for concern in LA.”

McVay’s comments gave a specific timeline of what to expect. It appears Stafford could be ready to go, based on how his workout goes.

“He’s due to get a workout in on the day of our preseason game where he’s going to throw, and that was on par with the schedule that we always had. You’ll see him in practice next week. He won’t participate in the Chargers practice just because of – we’re looking at it like he’s got an acclimation period that’ll really start on Saturday once we play the Cowboys,” McVay said to start out with the media on Thursday. “Saturday, for the guys not playing in that preseason game, will represent a great opportunity for Matthew to really start getting out on the field with his guys. And then, whenever we come back on Monday, you’ll start to see him take part in individuals, all those things, which is exactly what was on par with the plan.”

Of those on the panel, Graziano didn’t seem too concerned as he trusts what the Rams have said about and done for Stafford’s injury, an aggravated disc leading to back pain and soreness. Stafford has received an epidural shot for his injury. Still, if this continues as it’s been into next week, that’s when he’ll have some worries about it with the season now being less than a month from kicking off.

With that, Stafford will have eyes on him tomorrow afternoon to see how he responds in this apparently important workout. That’s with it possibly determining his status coming into the third week of training camp, if not longer, with an intra-city portion for the team coming up next week with the Chargers.