Rams' Matthew Stafford returns to practice after missing time due to back injury

Every Los Angeles Rams fan was smiling ear to ear on Monday after seeing who was on the practice field.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford, who has been dealing with an aggravated disc in his back, was seen in a red practice jersey alongside his teammates. The Rams tweeted out a picture of Stafford heading to the field, where he participated in drills.

Though it was limited work, head coach Sean McVay liked what he saw from his starter.

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"I thought he did a good job today," McVay told reporters. "We had 26 plays of team, and he did a really nice job of managing the huddle. I thought he saw the field well. I thought he went where the ball should go, and there was some good competitive work on both sides today."

McVay added that, despite Stafford's impressive showing at practice, the Rams will be taking things cautiously with him moving forward. He referred to the situation as "very fluid" so as not to put anything definitive on his status leading up to Week 1.

Stafford's status at training camp has been murky, to say the least. There haven't been strong updates on his health, and it was reported that he received an epidural to try to deal with his back issue.

McVay, however, broke through the gray area a bit when he mentioned last week that Stafford's next step would be showing up at practice. The Rams began the week with the 37-year-old on the field alongside his teammates, a sign that he's trending in a positive direction.

There are just under three weeks left of preseason before the regular season grind commences, so the Rams are certainly hoping Stafford can be game-ready when it's time to take the field against the Houston Texans at SoFi Stadium on Sept. 7.

The Rams are hoping for yet another playoff berth in 2025 after going 10-7 to earn one in 2024. Stafford threw for just 20 touchdowns to eight interceptions over that span.

He has a new look at receiver this year, though, as Davante Adams joins the Rams after difficult stints with the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets. He fills the hole left by Cooper Kupp, Stafford's trusted receiving weapon who was traded to the Seattle Seahawks this offseason.

With Puka Nacua's emergence as a true top wideout for Los Angeles, Kupp became expendable, though the history between quarterback and receiver was potent. The Rams' Super Bowl LVI victory saw Kupp play a vital role in getting there in the first place, having won the receiving Triple Crown that season by leading the league in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. Kupp caught the game-winning touchdown from Stafford with 1:25 left in the game, which just so happened to be at SoFi Stadium.

But that was then, and this is now - a time when the Rams' sole focus is making sure Stafford is healthy for Week 1 and throughout the 2025 campaign.

If he isn't ready to go by then, Jimmy Garoppolo will likely replace him as the team's backup quarterback. The Rams did announce Garoppolo would not take part in the preseason, which pointed to him being the team's No. 2 option.

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