Rams may already know when they want to make final Matthew Stafford, Ty Simpson decision

Shortly after it was learned ahead of Memorial Day that the Los Angeles Rams had signed reigning Most Valuable Player Matthew Stafford to a contract extension, some wondered what that development meant for the future of Rams rookie quarterback and 2026 first-round draft pick Ty Simpson.

It now sounds like the Rams may have an idea for when they'd like Simpson to replace Stafford atop the depth chart. 

When do Matthew Stafford and the Rams' deadlines for decisions begin?

"The deadlines calendar begins in March 2027, when Stafford's $45M base salary for the 2027 season and a $5M roster bonus for 2028 become fully guaranteed on the third day of the new league year," NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero revealed on Wednesday, as shared by Nick Shook of the league's website. "In short, the Rams and Stafford will have to decide if they'll continue working together in 2027 in March, eliminating the possibility of a contract standoff extending into April or May."

Stafford turns 39 years old next February, and he teased this past winter that he was thinking about retiring at that time. While he showed during his award-winning season that he is still an elite QB1 who can lead a team to within a win of a Super Bowl appearance, it's unclear to outsiders how much longer he wants to continue playing.  

"The numbers balloon in 2028," Shook continued, "which is truly the first legitimate fork in a journey that currently resembles two parallel paths. A $100M base salary for 2029 -- an absurd total even for the highest-paid position in the sport -- would vest if Stafford is on the roster on the 10th day of the 2028 league year, which would force the two sides to decide between working out a revised contract or going in separate directions."

What does Matthew Stafford's extension really mean? 

As Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio pointed out, Stafford "likely has no desire to play for another team" after the veteran took less money to stay with the Rams following the 2024 season. While the Rams technically hold control of Stafford's rights for the 2027 season, it seems like the two sides will continue their year-to-year arrangement until he is ready to ride off into the sunset of retirement. 

As for Simpson, he can focus on developing as a backup unless Stafford becomes unavailable for any reason between now and the Rams' final game of their upcoming campaign.