​Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford enjoyed one of the most efficient seasons of his career in 2025, finishing with league-leading numbers and an MVP trophy to cap a remarkable campaign. Yet those impressive totals could have looked even more imposing had a number of drops not undermined some key moments. According to nflfastR and FTN Charting data (via Nutshell Sports), Stafford surrendered 42.15 expected points added to drops in the season, the fifth-highest figure in the league. That marker places him behind only Dak Prescott (70.15), Trevor Lawrence (67.58), Jared Goff (66.7), and Cam Ward (56.8), and ahead of many passers known for greater turnover risk or lower efficiency. In short, Stafford was already operating at an elite level, but a sizable chunk of production was left on the field because his receivers failed to secure it.
The drops were distributed across Los Angeles’s pass-catching group. Davante Adams led the way with five drops on the year, a figure that tied for the 23rd-most among qualifying receivers, even as Adams posted a strong 110.7 passer rating on targets and finished with a league-leading 14 touchdowns. Puka Nacua contributed four drops, while tight ends Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higbee, and Davis Allen each recorded three. Running back Blake Corum added three drops on just 14 targets, yielding a 21.4% drop rate that stands out even in a small sample. Nacua’s drop rate remained relatively low at 2.4% given his target volume, but Corum’s number highlights how even modest involvement in the passing game carried inefficiency. Parkinson’s 5.4% drop rate and Mumpfield’s 8.7% also chipped away at possessions that could have extended drives or produced scores.
Adams still proved to be one of Stafford’s most reliable options when measured by rate statistics, and Nacua’s expansive season—129 receptions for 1,715 yards—speaks for itself. Nonetheless, the aggregate effect of roughly two dozen drops on a quarterback who was already producing at a top-five level is meaningful. Had even a portion of those drops been secured, Stafford’s counting stats—and his standing in any MVP or Pro Bowl discourse—would likely have looked even more dominant.
For a 37-year-old quarterback frequently discussed in terms of potential decline or about what he has left in the tank, the 2025 drop data suggest Stafford continued to play at a level that outpaced the outcomes his teammates helped create. The hope is that the early-year disconnect between Adams and Stafford doesn’t carry into 2026, and that the younger, less proven receivers who also experienced drops can improve their hands as well. This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Matthew Stafford’s season could have been even better if not for drops.