Ram Digest

NFL QB Index: Where Did Matthew Stafford Rank in Year One With Rams?

In his first season with the Rams, Matthew Stafford finished particularly high in the NFL's QB Index for the 2021 campaign.

Nicholas Cothrel

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The NFL saw 62 quarterbacks appear in a game this season and each passer's efforts were taken into consideration when compiling the NFL QB Index rankings.

NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal released the annual list following a memorable season of quarterback play. With Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady going stride-for-stride this season in search of the MVP award, those two veteran signal-callers led the position group with Brady No. 1 and Rodgers No. 2.

As Matthew Stafford finished his first season in Los Angeles by capping off a Super Bowl LVI victory, you don't have to look much further to find him among the rankings.

Feb 13, 2022; Inglewood, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) against the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Stafford comes in at No. 5, just behind Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert and in front of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.

Rosenthal wrote the following regarding Stafford's ranking:

"Stafford got a smidge too much credit during a regular season in which his week-to-week consistency didn't match his numbers. Now Stafford is weirdly not getting enough credit for elevating in the playoffs. That was easily his best four-game stretch of the season. It came against three challenging NFC defenses and without two top wideouts and his tight end by the second half of the Super Bowl.

"Yes, there was the drop by 49ers cornerback Jaquiski Tartt. But Stafford cut way down on his turnover-worthy plays (only one per game) and hit a way higher percentage of big-time throws in the playoffs. If he played that well through the regular season, he'd have contended for MVP. Instead, he'll have to settle for knowing he played his absolute best in the moments that mattered most. I struggled to sort out the QB ranks from Nos. 3-7, and Stafford gets extra credit for playing so well in the playoffs."

This marks Stafford's highest ranking in the QB Index list of his career. Last season, he finished No. 13 on the list, while his previous high was No. 8, where he finished following the 2015 and 2016 seasons.

Stafford finished the 2021 season with the third-most passing yards (4,886) and second-most passing touchdowns (41). Meanwhile, his 17 interceptions finished tied for the most in the league alongside rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Feb 13, 2022; Inglewood, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford celebrates with the Lombardi Trophy after defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Stafford now enters a contract year in which he and the Rams will likely attempt to hammer out an extension prior to the 2022 season getting underway. 

Players of Stafford's stature typically don't play on the final year of their contract, as extensions for quarterbacks are usually imminent given their significance. His current contract suggests he'll make $23 million in 2022, a below-the-market deal given the going rate for high-end quarterbacks.

As the two sides attempt to come to grips on a new contract, Stafford is likely to see a new deal that pays him an average salary of $41.4 million per season, according to the market value calculation of Spotrac.com.

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Nick Cothrel is the publisher of Ram Digest. Follow Nick and Ram Digest on Twitter @NickCothrel & @RamDigestSI for more Rams coverage.

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Nicholas Cothrel
NICHOLAS COTHREL

Nick Cothrel covers the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated.

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