Stafford impresses despite ‘irritating’ elbow issue

IRVINE, Calif. — After making several deep throws and even a no-look pass during practice Saturday, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said he felt like he could make any throw he wanted to.

Stafford, who dealt with an elbow injury last season, received an injection in his right elbow during the offseason and did not throw during the Rams’ spring workouts.

On Thursday, coach Sean McVay said Stafford’s injury is “a little bit abnormal for a quarterback,” but reiterated that the Rams had planned a “modified approach and a progressive build” with him during training camp.

“I just have a little soreness,” Stafford said Saturday. “We’re working through it. I feel pretty good today. I thought it looked pretty good. But just trying to be smart with it and making me feel as good as I can feel going into Week 1 while still getting as many reps I can, too.”

Stafford declined to go into detail about his elbow soreness, saying he’s “just going through something that is irritating at the moment.”

“We got a great plan,” Stafford said. “I’m feeling stronger every time I come out here and throw. I don’t know if you guys were watching. It felt like I could make any throw I wanted to today. And just trying to be smart when I get those opportunities to make sure I can come out here, cut it loose [and] turn it loose like I did today.”

McVay echoed Stafford’s comments about the way he threw the ball Saturday and pointed out he wasn’t just making short and intermediate throws but was “pushing the ball” to “all types of spots.” McVay also said that based on the way Stafford threw, “I don’t think you would know that anything was going on.”

“If you guys were watching, I don’t know really how much you can ask about how Matthew’s feeling,” McVay said. “I mean, he threw it all over the yard today. Looked really good, felt good.

“We’re very much on track with what we had hoped, and I think you could really see the ball was jumping out of his hand. … And so I think he was trying to show you guys that probably not many questions you can ask him either based on how he felt and the way he was throwing it around today.”

The Rams also got cornerback Jalen Ramsey back at practice Saturday. While Ramsey did not start training camp on the physically unable to perform list after having offseason shoulder surgery, he had not been cleared previously to take part in practice. On Saturday he took part in the team’s 7-on-7 field work.

McVay said Ramsey “did a great job” as the Rams continued his “five-day acclimation period.”

“I think he’s feeling good and then we’ll continue to increase that workload as we go,” the coach said.