Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams will face the Carolina Panthers on the road in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs, offering LA a chance at redemption for the regular season. Stafford could get reinforcements, too.
Rams head coach Sean McVay updated the statuses of several key players following their win over the Arizona Cardinals in the regular-season finale.
Most notable among them is six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Davante Adams.
Matthew Stafford Gets Update on Davante Adams Before Rams Playoff Game
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 and Davante Adams #17 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrate against the Tennessee Titans.
McVay met with the media for his day-after press conference following the conclusion of the 2025 regular season, after he, Stafford, and the Rams secured the No. 5 seed for the postseason.
McVay told reporters on Monday that he expects the Rams to get Adams back for their Wild Card game against the Panthers.
Adams missed the last three weeks of the regular season with a hamstring injury.
Per TheRams.com’s Stu Jackson, McVay said the Rams “erred on the side of caution” and that the decision “p*****” the wideout “off pretty good.”
The Rams have missed Adams in general, but particularly in the red zone. He ended the season as the NFL leader in touchdown receptions. Moreover, the attention that Adams receives from opponents makes things easier for his teammates, like Puka Nacua.
The good news did not stop there for Stafford, though.
Rams Getting Reinforcements on Both Sides of the Ball
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams signals to his team against the Philadelphia Eagles.
McVay also said that he expects rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson to play against the Panthers in Saturday’s tilt.
The Rams boast a deep stable of tight ends, and got Super Bowl champion Tyler Higbee back for the finale. Still, Ferguson, who missed Week 18 due to an ankle injury, provides a different dynamic than his fellow TEs as a downfield threat at the tight end position.
Similarly, the Rams are optimistic they will get safety Quentin Lake (elbow/IR) back.
Lake, who signed an extension amid his return to practice last week, missed the final seven games of the regular season but also suggested he would return for the playoffs.
Lake is a safety by trade, but he plays nickelback for the Rams and fills a variety of roles when on the field. He is a lynchpin for a secondary that has been in flux all season due to injuries and, early in the campaign, inconsistency.
Even Lake’s return to the Rams’ lineup is good news for Stafford.
While Stafford and the Rams’ offense are capable of scoring points in bunches, there will likely come a time when they need a stop, perhaps even with the game on the line.
Not All News is Good for Rams
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams looks on before a game against the Carolina Panthers.
Unfortunately for Stafford, McVay was less committal about some of his other supporting cast members, namely, starting right guard Kevin Dotson.
Dotson has been sidelined since the Rams’ loss to the Seattle Seahawks on “Thursday Night Football” in Week 16. McVay’s stance on Dotson’s availability for the postseason has remained largely unchanged; the Rams are hopeful about getting him back.
There have been no signs that they expect him to return in the intermediate term, though.
The most telling could be that the Rams did not place Dotson on injured reserve, which would have sidelined him for a minimum of four games.
McVay said that linebacker Shaun Dolac and wide receiver Jordan Whittington will undergo MRIs after suffering injuries in the regular-season finale. McVay, Stafford, and the Rams need all hands on deck for the postseason.
Matthew Stafford Gets Good News Before Rams Wild Card Playoff Game