Rams QB Matthew Stafford (hamstring) limited in practice

THOUSAND OAKS — Matthew Stafford returned to practice on Monday, but was limited to individual drills as the Rams remain cautious with their starting quarterback.

Stafford was pulled from joint practice against the Cowboys last Wednesday with hamstring tightness and did not participate in Thursday’s practice. He was limited to individual drills and work in the receiving line, then switched his helmet for a baseball cap as the team moved into 11-on-11.

Head coach Sean McVay said that Stafford could have practiced fully on Monday, and the veteran felt good during individual drills, but the team didn’t want to risk the unknown.

“My biggest thing was, wanted to be smart with him,” McVay said. “If there was any sort of sudden movement that set him back, just didn’t think it would be worth it. He’s feeling great. He was obviously very upset at me that he wasn’t practicing today, which is a good thing, that’s what makes him a great competitor.”

The Rams don’t have a set plan in mind for Stafford, who was also wearing a glove on his left hand Monday to protect a cut on his thumb, moving forward this week. The team practices on Tuesday before flying Wednesday for a joint practice against the Texans in Houston on Thursday.

“We will progress him as the week goes,” McVay said. “But the goal in mind is that we get a good couple weeks of preparation for the Detroit game [in Week 1]. How that is progressed over the next two days, with Tuesday and Thursday being the work days he would have, we’ll see.”

Stafford wasn’t the only Ram to return to practice in limited fashion on Monday. Starting left guard Jonah Jackson was back on the field for the first time in nearly three weeks after suffering a shoulder injury in the second week of training camp.

Jackson was only in shoulder pads and a helmet, and will be limited for the rest of the week to walk throughs, but it was encouraging to see him beginning to ramp up with three weeks to go until the regular season begins.

“He’ll be on an individual basis this week, that’ll be the plan with him, which is great,” McVay said.