'He's Just A Baller!': Rams LB Ernest Jones Praises Matthew Stafford
It feels weird to say that a Super Bowl-winning quarterback like Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams has something to prove, but that appears to be the case heading into the 2023 season.
The question isn't whether or not Stafford can win, he already proved that in his first season with the Rams in 2021. Instead, the question is whether or not he can still play at a high level in his age-35 season. Stafford dealt with injuries throughout the 2022 season, and even when he was healthy, he couldn't match his production from the year before. His struggles were, at least in part, due to the team around him, but it's still a cause for concern to some.
Through the early part of the offseason though, Stafford looks poised for a rebound season in 2023. It's not just those on offense who see it, but those on defense as well. Linebacker Ernest Jones lauded the quarterback on Friday, saying he looks just as good as ever.
"It's just like what I've seen when I first got here and the things that he's done since I've been here," Jones said. "He's just a baller, like, he lets it go."
Stafford returning to form would be huge for the Rams' offense, which struggled throughout much of the 2022 season. It's also good news for the defense because it will allow them to improve by facing a stronger offense in practice. As the saying goes, iron sharpens iron.
"As a player he makes you think," Jones said of Stafford. "Matthew, just the way he looks off defenses and looks off linebackers, he has me just making sure I'm not giving him easy reads, making sure I'm also trying to manipulate him and do the best that we can to make things tough on him, even though he's seen it all. So he knows exactly what we're trying to do and he's a smart guy."
Stafford rebounding will be essential if the Rams are to improve in 2023. Jones' praise is a good early sign that the quarterback will be back this season.
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