Matthew Stafford back at practice, but Rams saving him for season opener

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Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) practiced Tuesday for the first time in a week. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

On what ostensibly was the Rams’ final workout before their once-postponed, it’s-really-supposed-to-happen, long goodbye to Thousand Oaks, star quarterback Matthew Stafford reintroduced himself to the huddle.

Stafford, held out of team drills for nearly all of three workouts because of a hamstring issue, ran the offense Tuesday for the first time in nearly a week.

The 36-year-old Stafford shared first-team reps with Jimmy Garoppolo and finished the workout with a play-action keeper he punctuated with a run around right end.

“He did his own number there,” coach Sean McVay said. “That wasn’t the call. Looked pretty good.”

Stafford’s return without incident enabled the Rams a sigh of relief.

Read more: Rams preseason takeaways: Stetson Bennett bounces back in victory over Chargers

McVay had described Stafford’s hamstring issue as “a little something.” But no issue is small when it concerns the team’s most important player, a 16th-year pro who has suffered — and often played through — numerous injuries.

Last Wednesday, Stafford was removed from a joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys because he felt hamstring tightness. He was not on the field for a jog-through the next day, and McVay said Sunday he was not concerned about the injury and that Stafford would have plenty of time to prepare for the Sept. 8 opener at Detroit.

On Monday, Stafford participated only in individual drills. Then came the ramp up Tuesday.

“This was part of the progression plan,” McVay said. “We figured he would get half of the team reps and just kind of incrementally increase him.”

The Rams will depart for Houston on Wednesday and practice with the Texans on Thursday. Stafford’s participation is “to be determined,” McVay said, because of “unscheduled movements” that could aggravate the hamstring.

Stafford and other starters will not play…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/matthew-stafford-back-practice-rams-202407764.html

Author : LA Times

Publish date : 2024-08-20 20:24:07

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