Matthew Stafford will be ready for the Rams' season opener despite the elbow tendinitis he's been dealing with throughout training camp.
The Rams quarterback told reporters Wednesday that he "felt good" the day following an intrasquad scrimmage where he participated in full, which is notable considering the team has been closely monitoring his workload for the past month.
"I felt like I got a bunch of good work in," Stafford said. "I feel good and right on track to be doing what I want to be doing."
Stafford added that he won't be putting a timetable on whether or not the nagging injury will be over and done with by Week 1, or if it's something that will linger all season. Regardless, the 34-year-old indicated that any lingering soreness shouldn't disrupt his performance on the field.
"I know that functionally I feel like I can do everything I need to do," Stafford said. "So, just trying to continue on that road."
Stafford, who's dealt with plenty of pain throughout his 13-year NFL career, overcame the issue during the Rams' Super Bowl-winning season in 2021. Excluded from offseason workouts after undergoing a procedure on the elbow, Stafford has consistently downplayed the nagging injury and has maintained all along that his performance won't suffer.
Rams coach Sean McVay supported Stafford's claims on Wednesday, saying he hasn't seen "any reason to be concerned" about the issue. McVay added that Stafford threw more than 75 balls during Tuesday's practice. Said McVay: "He looked like the Matthew I know."
By all accounts, Stafford and the Rams hope to put one preseason storyline to rest as they look to defend their Super Bowl crown. The Rams will do so in a highly anticipated prime-time opener versus the Buffalo Bills on Thursday, Sept. 8.
"It was awesome. It was a lot of fun to be out there," Stafford said of Tuesday's scrimmage. "Got a bunch of good reps with the guys. I thought our guys up front played really well, did a nice job. It was a good, competitive team practice, which was good to have at this point in camp. It's just fun to be back out there, you know, letting it rip."
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Former Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer will return to TV as a college football analyst on FOX's "Big Noon Kickoff."
Browns QB Jacoby Brissett is in line to start the first 11 games of the season following Deshaun Watson's suspension. Brissett told reporters on Friday that his plan in his new role is to just be himself.
Miles Sanders was sidelined yet again at Eagles practice Friday by a hamstring injury. Find out what other NFL news we're tracking this Friday.
The Cardinals will induct former owner Bill Bidwill into their Ring of Honor during halftime of their Week 1 game against the Chiefs on Sept. 11. Bidwill, the father of current Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill, died in 2019 at the age of 88.
The Carolina Panthers will sit Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold during Friday night's preseason game against the Patriots. P.J. Walker will play the first and third quarters, while rookie Matt Corral will get the second and fourth.
Frank Reich remains optimistic that star linebacker Shaquille Leonard will be ready to play Week 1 despite undergoing back surgery in June. But Reich acknowledged that even if he's cleared to play the season opener, Leonard likely won't be at full force.
Last training camp, Dak Prescott dealt with a muscle strain in his throwing arm as he recovered from a fractured foot. This year, the Cowboys quarterback is healthy and impressing during offseason work.
Bengals star safety Jessie Bates continues to skip training camp after not agreeing to a long-term contract with the club. As Cincy awaits the return of the playmaker, Joe Burrow isn't sweating the absence of the defensive leader.
Atlanta Falcons rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder said veteran Marcus Mariota has been like another coach for him this offseason and into preseason action.
Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet and quarterback Justin Fields worked on their chemistry this offseason, which was evident in their brief outing together Thursday night.
Justin Fields and the Bears' offense still have plenty of work to do, but Chicago's defense clamped down on Geno Smith and the Seahawks for a preseason win on Thursday.
The New York Jets are "going to do right" by Zach Wilson in his recovery, while New York Giants QB Daniel Jones revealed he had an offseason neck procedure.
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