Alarming issue has been preventing Rams' Matthew Stafford from practicing

A recent update indicated that Los Angeles Rams starting quarterback Matthew Stafford had been held out of practices throughout training camp due to a lingering back problem "in the interest of maintenance." 

Stafford's setback could be more alarming than outsiders realized. 

On Wednesday, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport revealed that Stafford "is dealing with an aggravated disc" and "has been receiving epidurals to aid in dealing with the injury." According to Rapoport, Los Angeles "has plans for" Stafford to start its regular-season opener against the Houston Texans on Sept. 7. 

The Rams worked out an offseason agreement with Stafford that kept the 37-year-old atop the club's depth chart after he considered joining either the New York Giants or Las Vegas Raiders via a trade. A previous report suggested the Rams wanted to select Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart with the 26th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, but the Giants leapfrogged the Rams to grab Dart at choice No. 25. 

Los Angeles now has journeyman Jimmy Garoppolo taking QB1 snaps as Stafford works to return to full fitness. Garoppolo hasn't been a legitimate starter for an advertised championship contender since the 2022 season. 

Meanwhile, Pro Football Reference stats show that Stafford ended the 2024 campaign ranked 12th in the NFL among qualified players with a 64.7 adjusted QBR, 11th with an average of 235.1 passing yards per game and tied for 15th with 20 touchdown passes. As of Wednesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Rams sixth among the betting favorites at +1000 odds to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LX. 

The Cleveland Browns have a crammed quarterback room and could make either veteran Joe Flacco or former Pittsburgh Steelers starter Kenny Pickett available to a team such as the Rams before the preseason wraps up. On Wednesday, FanDuel Sportsbook had Flacco as the betting favorite at -265 odds to serve as Cleveland's Week 1 starter. 

The Browns will host the Rams in the final week of preseason play. That matchup is scheduled to take place at Huntington Bank Field on Aug. 23. 

For now, it seems like there's at least some chance that Garoppolo will get the nod for the Texans game on the first Sunday of September. Per Rapoport, "cause for concern has risen" as it pertains to Stafford's availability for Week 1.