Matthew Stafford Could Return to Practice Monday amid Back Injury, Rams' McVay Says

It might not be long until Matthew Stafford returns to practice despite the back injury he is dealing with at training camp.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay told reporters Thursday the veteran will go through a workout Saturday and return to Monday's practice if everything goes according to plan. 

McVay also said Stafford would be playing if there was a regular-season game this week.

The latest update comes after ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on the situation Tuesday and suggested "there is zero panic" regarding Stafford's status.

"My understanding is it's a total maintenance issue," ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Tuesday. "... They don't want to put any wear and tear on his body. He knows how the game works, he knows how the offense functions, he knows how his teammates think and operate. So they are intentionally keeping him out in interest of maintenance, self-preservation and just wise caution."

Stafford might not have played Saturday's preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys even if he was fully healthy given his status as a veteran player with plenty of experience, but he surely won't be on the field given his current status.

Not only will the Rams not risk an injury in the preseason game, they will also take a cautious approach ahead of their second preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

McVay said Stafford will not participate in the joint practice between the two Los Angeles teams since it is more difficult to control the variables when lining up alongside another club.

While every indication has been relatively positive for the Rams regarding Stafford's health and eventual availability for the regular season, his health will remain a storyline until he is back on the field. After all, he is 37 years old and entering his 17th season in the league.

He is also the team's best chance to reach the playoffs yet again and will look to build on last season after he completed 65.8 percent of his passes for 3,762 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

When he does return to practice, he will have the opportunity to continue building chemistry with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams ahead of the season opener against the Houston Texans on Sept. 7.