Matthew Stafford practices with Rams in QB’s first team workout of preseason

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Matthew Stafford practiced with the Los Angeles Rams on Monday, marking the quarterback’s first workout with the team this preseason after having been unable to do so because of a sore back.

Stafford, 37, took first-team reps during the session and did not speak to reporters afterward. Coach Sean McVay said it was too soon to know what the session means for Stafford’s status going forward.

“I think that would be putting the cart way before the horse,” McVay said. “I thought he did a good job today, and we had 26 plays of team (with Stafford), and (he) did a really nice job of managing the huddle. I thought he saw the field well. I thought he went where the balls would go, and there’s some good competitive work on both sides today.”

McVay has repeatedly declined to put any timeline on Stafford’s availability, doing so again on Monday, after having initially said in July his starting quarterback would miss the first part of training camp. The Rams open the regular season on Sept. 7 by hosting the Houston Texans.

“I’m not going to pigeonhole myself into any plans,” McVay said. “And so we’re just really seeing how he feels. We’re really taking it a day at a time and a week at a time right now.”

While McVay said he was treating Monday’s practice as another day, teammates were visibly excited to have the veteran going into his 17th season on the field. Stafford has led the team into the playoffs in three of his four seasons in Los Angeles, including winning the Super Bowl in the 2021 season.

“I think this group brings energy every day. I think that certainly was something that guys felt good about. Like, what I want to make sure is, let’s just take it a day at a time. This represents a great opportunity that he wanted to be out there and do what he did today, and then we’ll see what tomorrow really takes.”