Oh my.
What many considered to be merely poking the rumor mill and testing the waters has materialized, rather quickly.
The Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions are reported to agree to terms to trade Matthew Stafford for Jared Goff.
Detroit is dealing QB Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for two future first-round picks, a third-round pick and QB Jared Goff, per sources. Two former No. 1 overall picks trading places in the first blockbuster NFL trade of 2021.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 31, 2021
The deal also will send the next two years’ first round picks and a third, meaning the Rams will not have a first round selection in 2021, 2022, or 2023. It means it will be eight years since Los Angeles has selected a first-rounder in 2016, who was…Jared Goff.
Stafford is the first and most experienced of the high-caliber quarterbacks who are either on the market or demanding trades in a very fascinating 2021 offseason. Deshaun Watson will be eyeing this deal closely.
The NFC West now contains Russell Wilson, Matthew Stafford, Kyler Murray and Jimmy Garoppolo (whose own future is in question in San Francisco). The Rams are still in contention for least-mobile QB of that group, but it’s impossible to deny the talent in the West.
Imagining what the NFL’s number one defense could have done with a quarterback even marginally better than Jared Goff last season is un-enjoyable. However the Rams have lost a significant number of coaches and have several more contract issues to take care of this season; as always it’s no guarantee they’ll return to division-chasing form.
Stafford is on a five-year deal that will have him under contract with Los Angeles for 2021 and 2022. He is the same age as Russell Wilson.
