NFL Rumors: Matthew Stafford struggling to connect with Rams youth
The Los Angeles Rams' disastrous 2022 season raised a great many questions about the future of the organization. Perhaps no player is shrouded in more doubt than Matthew Stafford, the 35-year-old Super Bowl champ who is on the precipice of obsolescence as the Rams pivot toward a younger group.
It's easy to forget that Stafford authored a magnificent 41-touchdown, championship-winning campaign less than two years ago. Injuries held him to only nine appearances in 2023 and while his completion percentage reached a career high (68.0), his yards per attempt (6.9) plummeted and Los Angeles' previously explosive offense faltered.
It would appear that Stafford's problems are not limtied to the confines of the game. In a recent episode of her podcast, Stafford's wife, Kelly, dove into his fractured relationship with younger members of the team off the field.
"So Matthew's been in the league a long time," she said. "They have a lot of rookies on their team, they're very young. But he's like 'I feel like I can't connect.'"
We've all heard this tale before. It can be difficult for veterans to reckon with the changing social dynamics of the younger generation. Folks don't interract the same way they did a decade ago. It's not necessarily good or bad, but it's definitely different.
"In the old days you'd come out of practice, you'd shower, and people would be playing cards, interacting," Kelly Stafford said. "But now they get out of practice, and meetings during training camp, and they go straight to their phones."
That particular quote sounds a bit like a grouchy old man running kids off his lawn, but there's probably something to the emerging disconnect of teammates in the locker room. Phones have changed the way we all communicate. Matt Stafford is clearly used to face-to-face conversation.
The kicker, however, is how Kelly describes younger teammates' interactions with her husband: "They say 'Sir' to him and s**t. He's like 'No, we're on the same level here, we're both playing in the league. Let me get to know you."
Yikes! 35 years old is probably a little young for the 'sir' label and yeah, that doesn't sound like the greatest foundation for a strong teammate-to-teammate relationship.
Hopefully Stafford can figure out a way to connect with the youth (or at least get traded to an older team).
NFL Rumors: Eagles DE Derek Barnett requests trade
Philadelphia Eagles DE Derek Barnett is gauging the trade market with hopes of playing more elsewhere, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. The 27-year-old Barnett was the No. 14 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and has spent his entire six-year career with the Eagles.
Barnett is reckoning with the roster crunch in Philadelphia. The Eagles are blessed (or cursed) with the deepest defensive frontline in football. Barnett is part of a crowded edge-rush group that includes Brandon Graham, Josh Sweat, Haason Reddick, and Nolan Smith.
The Eagles plan to keep Barnett, according to Fowler, but there is a recognition that his role is limited due to the talent in front of him. Barnett missed all but one game of last season with a torn ACL but he participated in training camp and is a full-go for the regular season.
In 2021, Barnett started 15 of 16 appearances for the Eagles and accumulated 46 tackles, 11 QB hits, and two sacks. He's not slated to start for the current group but he should still command a decent volume of snaps. While Philadelphia can't offer Barnett a starring role, it can offer him an unmatched supporting cast and a clear path to contention in the NFC.
Barnett would start for a number of teams around the league. He's entering the final year of his contract with a need to prove himself after the injury, so it's only natural for Barnett to desire a situation more conducive to individual production.
We will see how long the Eagles hold onto him.
NFL Rumors: Mystery team lurking in Jonathan Taylor trade talks
Jonathan Taylor trade talks continue and are expected to go down to the wire, according to Stephen Holder of ESPN, but with one twist. The Dolphins are not the sole bidders here. A second team is involved, which could change the dynamic of trade talks.
The Dolphins have been the heavily speculated favorites for Taylor since the Colts opted to grant his trade request. Miami was interested in free agent Dalvin Cook before he signed with division-rival New York. Taylor might be the best runner in football when he's healthy. His presence in the backfield would balance an offense geared toward the long-range playmaking prowess of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle at WR.
That said, the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos have also been connected to Taylor in the past. At least one more team is lurking, which means the Dolphins could be forced into a bidding war. The price of RBs around the league has never been lower, but Taylor led the NFL in yards from scrimmage (2,171) and touchdowns (20) in 2021, his last healthy season.
Maybe RBs don't have the longest shelf life, but Taylor is 24 years old. He should have several years of impactful running left in the tank. He's a talented pass-catcher too, capable of operating as a three-down back and providing Tua Tagovailoa (or another mystery QB) with a pressure-relief valve near the line of scrimmage.
There should probably be more than two teams haggling over Taylor, but that's the state of today's RB market. The Dolphins already possess one of the league's most potent offenses. Taylor could push them to the next level. We can't write it in stone just yet, though.