Tom Pelissero:Rams Give Matthew Stafford Permission to Speak with Other Teams

Elvis said
Stafford's option bonuses come with him to the new team if he's traded, so his cap number is $33.5m for 2025 and $37.5 in 2026. If he's cut by the Rams, I believe they have to eat those option bonuses on top of his prorated bonuses as dead money. That gives them an incentive to get a trade done rather than cut him.

The Rams should have to pay those cap charges either way since they paid him the money in 2023. Usually the charges go against the team that spends the money. A new team would only have cap charges of $27m and $31m the next two years to cover the remaining salary and roster bonuses on his contract.