The Panthers were among several teams vying for Matthew Stafford before the Lions agreed to trade him to the Rams, but the reports of what the Panthers were offering is eye-opening.
Carolina offered up its first-round pick this year, No. 8 overall, and more, according to Albert Breer of SI.com and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
With an offer like that, it’s surprising that the Lions would take the Rams’ offer of a 2021 third-round pick, 2022 first-round pick, 2023 first-round pick and Jared Goff instead. The Rams’ picks in 2022 and 2023 will likely be later in the first round than No. 8 overall, and teams almost always prioritize having picks this year over having them in the future. In fact, if the Lions really wanted first-round picks in future years, they could have gotten them by trading out of the Panthers’ No. 8 overall pick, as well as the Lions’ own No. 7 overall pick.
The Rams were eager to get rid of Goff’s contract, and Lions General Manager Brad Holmes, who was with the Rams throughout Goff’s tenure, may like him well enough that he views Goff, even with his expensive salary cap hits the next two seasons, as a positive asset. But with a Top 10 pick in 2021 being offered, it’s surprising that the Lions preferred Goff and the Rams’ package of picks instead.
Maybe the San Francisco 49ers weren’t as “in it” for quarterback Matthew Stafford as everyone assumed. At least, that is what Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported in his latest feature.
Stafford wanted to go to California. After all, his family has a home in Newport Beach, which is about 40 miles south of SoFi Stadium. According to Breer, the Los Angeles Rams were always his preferred destination, following by the 49ers and Indianapolis Colts.
On Saturday night, Stafford got his wish. The Detroit Lions traded the quarterback to the Rams in exchange for two future first-round picks, a third-rounder, and Jared Goff. It seemed like a haul for the soon-to-be-33-year-old quarterback. But at least part of the offer was reportedly to entice the Lions to take on Goff’s salary. The result was an offer that was tough to beat. Los Angeles clearly was all-in on Stafford and eager to ship Goff and his massive contract out of Southern California.
So how far did talks between the 49ers and Lions get? Not far at all, it seems. Breer reports that the two sides had some discussions in Mobile, Alabama, leading to the Senior Bowl, but that’s all they were — talks. Nothing was on the verge of becoming official, despite what the Twitter rumors and speculation had everyone believing.
San Francisco planned to continue discussions with Detroit after the weekend, but then things heated up on Saturday, and Lions reached out to gauge the 49ers’ interest.
“My sense is the 12th pick was never going to be offered,” wrote Breer, which matches what we had heard all last week — that the 49ers were doing everything they could to keep the No. 12 overall pick out of play. Of course, that always came with the caveat that things could change quickly.
When Detroit reached out, things had clearly escalated beyond what the 49ers were comfortable with, and the team had no issue moving on from Stafford and moving forward with Jimmy Garoppolo.
Breer also broke down what other teams were offering to the Lions for Stafford.
The Carolina Panthers offered the No. 8 overall pick in this year’s draft plus a later pick.
The Washington Football Team was offering the No. 19 overall pick with a third-round pick.
The Colts never offered their first-rounder but did discuss packages of picks and a player.
The Denver Broncos discussed a pick swap with the Lions that would have equated to a late first-round pick. That didn’t go anywhere.
The New England Patriots discussed packaging a second-round pick with a player but weren’t on Stafford’s list of preferred destinations.
Talks with the Chicago Bears and New York Jets didn’t get far.
More San Francisco 49ers News
Breer sounds unsure about 49ers while naming teams ‘solidly in it’ for Matthew Stafford
By David Bonilla
Jan 30, 2021
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated answered questions from fans and was asked about Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, who has reportedly been the subject of much discussion this past week at the Senior Bowl.
“The Lions brass was in Mobile, Alabama, and they’ve been talking trade on Stafford,” Breer said. “I think they’d like to move him before the Super Bowl. I think they’re going to get a first-round pick. Maybe a first-round pick plus something else.
“I can give you seven teams that I know are solidly in it. That would be Washington, Carolina, New England, Indianapolis, Chicago …”
Breer paused for a second and then continued while sounding a bit less sure about the next two teams on his list.
“San Francisco and LA, I think
King proposes 49ers offer Jimmy Garoppolo, next year’s 2nd-round pick for Matthew Stafford
By David Bonilla
Jan 25, 2021
Matthew Stafford has the statistics of an elite NFL quarterback, passing for over 4,000 yards eight times over his 12-year career. What he lacks is playoff success. He has yet to win a playoff game.
Peter King of NBC Sports questions whose fault that is, though. Is it Stafford’s fault? Or does the blame fall on the Detroit Lions, who can never put enough talent around the quarterback? Stafford has also seen a revolving door of coaches and general managers come through. King believes the blame falls on the organization more than the quarterback.
“He’s been a shining light for a bad franchise and deserves to have a chance to win in the last few years of his career,” King
King: 49ers among teams that ‘competed’ for Matthew Stafford, lost out to Rams
By David Bonilla
Jan 30, 2021
The San Francisco 49ers may downplay their level of interest in Matthew Stafford. On Saturday, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, the team denied rumors that it was on the verge of trading for the Detroit Lions quarterback. However, Peter King of NBC Sports reports that San Francisco was among the teams that were “very interested” in and “competed” for Stafford.
Stafford did end up in the NFC West, ultimately landing with the Los Angeles Rams, who gave up a haul to acquire the soon-to-be 33-year-old quarterback. That included multiple first-round picks, a third-rounder, and Jared Goff.
According to King, the Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, and Indianapolis Colts were also in the running for
Lions initiate trade talks with teams interested in Matthew Stafford
By David Bonilla
Jan 27, 2021
Let the race begin. At least, that’s the thought process in Detroit. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Lions have started speaking with other teams interested in Matthew Stafford, seeing what they can get in return for the quarterback. Are the San Francisco 49ers among those teams?
Teams already are reaching out to the Detroit Lions to initiate trade talks and figure out what it would take to acquire QB Matthew Stafford, per sources.— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 26,
Detroit Lions traded QB Matthew Stafford to the L.A. Rams for Jared Goff and draft picks on Jan. 30, 2021. Here’s a look at Detroit’s new starting QB.
Wochit
The Detroit Lions finally did right by one of their disgruntled stars.
After watching Barry Sanders sneak off to an early retirement because he was fed up with the organization, and taking some of Calvin Johnson’s money when he retired, the Lions gave Matthew Stafford the fresh start he wanted — and in the place he wanted — even if that was not the primary reason they pulled off Saturday’s blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Rams.
Stafford bought a house in Newport Coast, Calif., two years ago, and when his name first surfaced in trade rumors last winter, his wife, Kelly, made no secret of where she wanted to end up.
“Well if Detroit is done with us … I could stay in Cali,” she wrote in an Instagram story, over the headline of an article suggesting the Los Angeles Chargers were Stafford’s most likely trade destination.
BIRKETT: Lions’ Stafford trade shows how big a rebuild Brad Holmes has on his hands
That never materialized, of course. The Chargers spent the sixth pick in last year’s draft on Justin Herbert, and the old Lions regime of Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia never seemed interested in trading Stafford, perhaps because their own jobs were on the line.
Fast forward a year, and with Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell now in charge and Stafford making no secret of his desire to move on from the team that drafted him 12 years ago, the Lions swung a trade that one source familiar with the deal called “a win-win” for everyone involved.
The Lions received quarterback Jared Goff, a third-round pick in this year’s draft and first-round choices in 2022-23, and Stafford gets his wish to perhaps finish his career in California, in one of the NFL’s most creative offenses, where he spends part of his offseason anyway.
Late Saturday night, Kelly Stafford took to Instagram again, tied with former teammate Dan Orlovsky’s Twitter account as the family’s favorite method of public communication, and posted a fan’s mockup of Stafford in a Rams No. 9 jersey to the music of Archie Eversole’s popular anthem, “We ready.”
Later in the same story, she linked a video of Stafford with two of his daughters in the backyard of what appeared to be their California home.
“Pretty excited about all the Cali sunsets in our future,” she wrote.
Stafford, who turns 33 next week, has a chance to ride off into his own California sunset in part because the organization finally realized it is good business to listen to — and not just employ — your stars, even if what they are telling you is not what you want to hear.
SEIDEL: Lions’ new regime impresses by trading Stafford, emerging with nice options
CONTRACT: Here’s the Lions’ possible escape hatch if Jared Goff doesn’t work out
Campbell told the Free Press early Saturday morning, before the trade was consummated, that Stafford had done his part to make sure this was going to be an amicable split, and the Lions were “mindful of trying to give him what he wants,” knowing they ultimately had to make the best deal for the team.
Stafford was helpful when Campbell called him a week ago, a few days after he reiterated his trade request, not to try to recruit him to stay but to get insight into what had gone wrong with the organization the past dozen years.
“He’s been nothing but a pro, he’s a stud,” Campbell said. “I understand why he wants to do what he wants to do. I get it 100%.”
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As trade talks grew “hot and heavy” Saturday and Holmes spent the day sifting through seven or eight offers, Lions president Rod Wood and Stafford remained in constant communication, talking what one source estimated was “five or six times.”
Every offer the Lions received included a first-round pick, the source said, and suitors emerged from every corner of the league.
The Lions did not exactly give Stafford his choice of trade destinations. Rather, the source insisted, the best deal happened to be with the team he was most excited about joining.
Whether the Lions took the right deal won’t be known for several years.
Though it’s unclear the full terms of what teams like Washington, the Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers were offering, it’s obvious the Lions chose to delay the return on their trade in hopes of cashing in big when they are more ready to contend (they hope) down the road.
Holmes, Campbell and the rest of the organization have a lot of work to do to get to that point.
Goff played in a Super Bowl two years ago, and at 26 years old, has plenty of prime seasons left in his career. But he is more of a placeholder at the most important position on the field than someone good teams willingly build around. Even if he proves to be the latter in Detroit, he is coming to a team that is suddenly up against the salary cap and with major holes to fill at receiver and across the defense.
[ Predicting what Detroit Lions do with each of their 2021 free agents ]
The Lions, though, finally did right by one of their stars, and in the big picture there is something to be said for that.
Three decades after the organization drove Sanders to early retirement through its own malfeasance, and five years after Johnson’s career came to a similarly premature end, the Lions gave Stafford the chance to flourish in a place he and his family wanted to be.
That’s good business, and there is plenty of value in that — especially if the Lions can finally pair it with good football on the field.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
CLOSE
A look at Matthew Stafford through the years as the Detroit Lions quarterback.
The Detroit Lions made huge news on Saturday night by agreeing to send quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Goff, two first-round picks, and a third-round pick in return.
While most of the attention has been on the draft picks—and understandably so, two first-round picks is a huge return—there are also financial implications of this deal. With Jared Goff comes a pretty significant deal, and one that well supersedes the savings the Lions get from sending Stafford to the west coast.
Let’s break it all down.
Money saved from shipping Stafford
In 2021, Matthew Stafford was due to cost the Lions $33 million in cap space with a base salary of $9.5 million, a $10 million roster bonus due on the fifth day of the 2021 league year and workout bonuses along the way.
But by sending him away, he’ll only cost $19 million against the Lions’ cap in 2021 clearing $14 million in cap space immediately.
The Rams take on the $9.5 million salary, the $10 million roster bonus, and the $500,000 in workout bonuses for a cap hit of just $20 million for them.
Jared Goff deal implications
The Lions undoubtedly did the Rams a favor by taking Goff’s deal off their plate. It almost certainly got the Lions more draft capital in return, though, which is what they are more interested in, since this is a rebuild for the future. Eating cap for the next two years is worth it to them if it means more young players on rookie deals. But how much cap, exactly, are they eating?
The Rams were in a situation where they were going to have to eat cap hits of $35, $33, and $32.5 million over the next three seasons with Goff, and cutting him would have only made matters worse. Instead, they’ll be assuming a $22.2 million cap hit by trading him, earning $12.75 million in cap space in the process.
The Lions will only be assuming the remaining guarantees on Goff’s contract, which include his $25.325 million salary in 2021. Throw in a $2.5 million roster bonus for 2021 the Lions are almost certainly going to give out in 2021—the Lions have reportedly told Goff he’s part of their future plans—and you’ve got a cap number of $27.825 million for this year.
Next year, Goff has a roster bonus that has already become guaranteed of $15.5 million. That’s the last remaining guaranteed bonus on Goff’s contract. So if Goff stays in 2022, he’ll cost the Lions that $15.5 million guaranteed plus his $10 million non-guaranteed base salary for a collective cap hit of $25.5 million. However, if the Lions want to move on, they’ll just owe Goff that $15.5 million roster bons and save $10 million of cap space.
After that, the Lions are home free. No guaranteed money remaining on Goff’s final two years (2023, 2024) means Detroit can cut him with no penalty. If they keep him, here are the numbers:
2023: $20 million base salary + $5 million roster bonus = $25 million cap hit 2024: $21 million base salary + $5 million roster bonus + $26 million cap hit
Year-by-year breakdown
Here’s what the financial breakdown is by year:
2021:
Lions free up $14 million in cap space from Stafford’s contract
Lions assume $27.825 million in cap hit from Goff’s contract
Net: $13.825 million added to cap
2022:
$25.5 million cap hit if Goff remains on team
$15.5 million cap hit if Lions cut Goff ($10 million in savings)
2023:
$25 million cap hit if Goff remains on team
$0 cap hit if Lions cut Goff ($25 million in savings)
2024:
$26 million cap hit if Goff remains on team
$0 cap hit if Lions cut Goff ($26 million in savings)
The Los Angeles Rams pulled off a blockbuster deal with the Detroit Lions that drops the first domino in this year’s quarterback carousel.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Rams sent quarterback Jared Goff, their 2021 third-round pick, 2022 first-rounder and 2023 first-rounder to the Lions in exchange for quarterback Matthew Stafford. The deal will not be official until the new league year.
Following the Rams’ loss to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the 2020 playoffs, NFL Network’s Steve Wyche reported a source told him that Goff and head coach Sean McVay needed “marriage counseling.”
McVay and general manager Les Snead had been noncommittal about Goff as their starter for the 2021 season. Now, we see why they wouldn’t attach the team’s immediate future to him.
Goff seemed to reach his peak when he threw for 4,688 yards, 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions en route to a Super Bowl appearance during the 2018 season. Over the last two campaigns, he’s thrown for 42 touchdowns and 29 interceptions.
The Rams chose to pivot for Stafford, who’s dealt with injuries over the last two terms, though he can still sling the ball all over the field and move a little more than Goff in the pocket.
Let’s take a look at the biggest winners and losers of the deal.
1 of 5
Matthew StaffordBen Margot/Associated Press
Matthew Stafford should feel relieved. Last week, he and the Lions agreed to part ways, which opened discussions for a trade, per Pelissero.
The Lions moved swiftly, and Stafford gets a one-way ticket out after 12 seasons with a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game since 1992. Although he’s made three postseason trips with the club, Detroit hasn’t been able to put a complete team around him.
For the most part, Stafford had to put the offense on his shoulders. He’s played with just one 1,000-yard rusher—Reggie Bush in 2013—and one defensive unit that ranked in the top 10 in scoring.
Stafford will join a club that clinched a playoff berth in three out of four seasons under McVay, who’s also fielded a top-10 ground attack in three campaigns. In 2020, the Rams finished with the top scoring defense under former defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, who accepted the Los Angeles Chargers’ head coaching job earlier this month.
Still, with two star defenders in cornerback Jalen Ramsey and defensive tackle Aaron Donald, Stafford probably won’t have to score 30-plus points to win games. He’ll have a complementary rushing attack and a decent defense.
2 of 5
Jared GoffAssociated Press
In Los Angeles, the wheels fell off of the Jared Goff train quickly. Two years after a Super Bowl appearance, the Rams cut ties with him after consecutive inconsistent seasons.
In 2020, Goff threw for 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. In December, he broke his right thumb and sat out of the team’s Week 17 game against the Arizona Cardinals. John Wolford started and led the Rams to victory.
Although Goff was cleared to play against the Seattle Seahawks in the Wild Card Round, McVay opted to start Wolford, who went down with a neck injury early in the game. Los Angeles won the contest, but some wondered why Goff didn’t start if healthy enough to suit up for the game.
The Rams foreshadowed their decision to turn the page on Goff’s tenure as the starting quarterback. Now, he goes to a franchise that’s in rebuild mode. This offseason, the Lions hired general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell to take over for Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia, respectively.
Goff will attempt to reinvent himself under a first-year full-time head coach with a franchise that hasn’t had playoff success in nearly three decades.
3 of 5
Detroit Lions principal owner Sheila Ford HampPaul Sancya/Associated Press
Brad Holmes rose through the ranks with the Rams organization, working his way up from a scouting assistant to the director of college scouting. He signed a five-year contract with the Lions to oversee what looks like a rebuild.
Holmes has familiarity with Goff, whom the Rams selected with the No. 1 overall pick in 2016. He’ll also acquire premium draft picks to revamp the roster in the coming years.
The Lions dealt an aging quarterback with two years left on his deal for a good haul. Detroit will have two first-round picks in 2022 and 2023, and Holmes could use that draft capital to fill voids across the roster or package them to move up for a quarterback.
Going into the 2021 campaign, the Lions have a solid placeholder at quarterback in Goff. If he’s not the guy, the future draft picks allow the front office to change course. After the 2022 campaign, Detroit can release Goff and save $23.9 million in cap space, per Over the Cap.
If the Lions hit on early draft picks, the franchise can take a positive turn in the coming years. More importantly, Detroit has flexibility because of the compensation it received for Stafford.
4 of 5
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle ShanahanRoss D. Franklin/Associated Press
The San Francisco 49ers lost twice as a result of this blockbuster deal.
For starters, the 49ers were believed to have interest in Stafford, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports, and NFL analyst Chris Simms believed the veteran quarterback would’ve fared well in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s system (h/t Maiocco).
“Him in Kyle Shanahan’s offense, just to be totally real and honest about that, yeah, I think Kyle could rein him in a little bit to take away some of the mistakes,” Simms said. “That could be a very dangerous offense.”
In 2020, 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo battled an ankle injury and struggled through six games, throwing seven touchdown passes and five interceptions, so we shouldn’t be surprised at the team’s willingness to find an upgrade at the position.
The 49ers missed out on Stafford, and they’ll see him within the division twice a year as the Rams’ starting quarterback.
San Francisco may have a shot at a quarterback such as Deshaun Watson if the Houston Texans decide to trade him, but that may come at a much higher cost now that the market has been set, which leads us to our last winner.
5 of 5
Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun WatsonEric Christian Smith/Associated Press
The Lions traded 32-year-old Matthew Stafford, whose imminent split with the team became public. But still, Detroit was able to recoup a third-round pick and two first-rounders for him.
Deshaun Watson requested a trade before the Houston Texans hired head coach David Culley, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. But new Texans general manager Nick Caserio isn’t interested in moving Watson, per ESPN’s Sarah Barshop.
Nevertheless, he could potentially land a massive deal for a dynamic 25-year-old quarterback on the rise. In 2020, the Texans quarterback logged a league-leading 4,823 passing yards with 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions on a 4-12 squad.
Watson helped lead the Texans to the playoffs in two of the last three seasons. He’s also a three-time Pro Bowler. Stafford has only earned that accolade once in 12 campaigns.
The Texans will receive plenty of offers for Watson this offseason. With the Lions’ package for Stafford, Houston can up the ante for their disgruntled signal-caller. Caserio could easily push for three first-rounders and a starter in exchange for his franchise player.
Previously covered University of Michigan for ESPN.com and AnnArbor.com
Also covered Notre Dame for Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Lindsey Thiry
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ESPN
Covered Rams for two years for Los Angeles Times
Previously covered the Falcons
Has covered the NBA and college football and basketball
Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is heading to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for quarterback Jared Goff and a multitude of draft picks, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Saturday night.
The Lions will receive a third-round pick in 2021, a first-round pick in 2022 and a first-round pick in 2023 in what is the first exchange of former No. 1 overall picks in the common draft era (since 1967). The deal cannot be made official until the start of the new league year on March 17.
Following news of the trade, the Rams’ Super Bowl odds for the 2021 season moved from +1800 to +1500 at Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill.
It’s the first big move made by new Lions general manager Brad Holmes, who was hired earlier this month from the Rams, for whom he was the director of college scouting. That was Holmes’ role when the Rams traded up from the No. 15 selection to take Goff first overall in the 2016 NFL draft, making a splash in their return to L.A. after 21 seasons in St. Louis. The Rams will not make another first-round selection until at least 2024.
A source told ESPN the Lions had interest from seven or eight teams offering first-round picks as compensation for Stafford. Though the deal for Goff won’t necessarily preclude the Lions from taking a quarterback in this year’s draft, Goff told ESPN’s Jeff Darlington on Saturday night that he spoke with new Lions coach Dan Campbell, and that Campbell made clear through his message that Goff is in the Lions’ plans for the future.
When asked following Detroit’s final game of the 2020 season if he thought it was his final game with the Lions, Stafford said he did not want to get into hypothetical situations. Soon after the season concluded, Stafford went to Lions team president Rod Wood and mentioned a trade might be best for both sides.
Stafford, 32, will leave Detroit as the team’s all-time leader in every passing category. He is No. 16 all time in NFL passing yards (45,109) and passing touchdowns (282), No. 18 in attempts (6,224) and No. 14 in completions (3,898). His career passer rating of 89.9 is No. 21 all time, and his 144 interceptions are tied for No. 66 all time with Joe Flacco and Steve Bartkowski.
Stafford is No. 4 all time in passing yards per game (273.4), behind just Patrick Mahomes, Drew Brees and Andrew Luck. He also is second all time behind Luck in attempts per game (37.7) and is fourth in completions per game (23.6) behind Brees, Mahomes and Matt Ryan.
Stafford came into the league as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft out of Georgia and became Detroit’s starter immediately. Injuries, including a separated shoulder, hampered his first two seasons in the NFL, but he went on to start all but eight games for Detroit since the start of the 2011 season.
When he had to miss the final eight games of the 2019 season due to fractured bones in his back, it ended a streak of 136 straight starts — at the time the sixth-longest consecutive starts streak for a quarterback in NFL history.
Stafford has dealt with a multitude of ailments over the years, including injuries to his ribs, ankle and right thumb last season. He also played in 2018 with fractures in his back and a proximal interphalangeal joint dislocation of the middle finger of his throwing hand in 2016, among other things.
While the Lions never won the NFC North with Stafford as their quarterback, he kept them largely competitive over the past decade as the team’s first draft pick after Detroit’s 0-16 season in 2008. Stafford had eight seasons of 4,000 or more yards passing and a 5,038-yard season in 2011, when he also threw a career-high 41 touchdowns. Stafford has thrown at least 20 touchdowns in every full season of his career — and at least 10 interceptions, as well.
Stafford already has friends and a place to stay on the West Coast: Stafford owns an estate in Newport Coast, southeast of Los Angeles in Orange County, and he is a childhood friend and former high school teammate of longtime Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw.
Although the Rams didn’t confirm the trade, their official Twitter account tweeted at Kershaw, asking him: “Have you heard from an old friend today?”
Stafford has won just five of 16 matchups against his new division opponents in the NFC West. Goff, meanwhile, has won four of six against the NFC North.
Goff, who turned 26 in October, leaves L.A. after five seasons, including four under Rams coach Sean McVay, and with a 42-27 record. He made seven winless starts as a rookie under former coach Jeff Fisher, before the Rams hired McVay, who was known for his offensive acumen and ability to develop quarterbacks. McVay and Goff flourished in their first two seasons together, winning back-to-back division titles and an NFC championship.
The Rams awarded Goff a four-year, $134 million extension with $110 million guaranteed after he led the Rams to a Super Bowl LIII appearance. However, the offense never appeared the same after a 13-3 loss to the New England Patriots in that Super Bowl, as the Rams fell from a top-scoring team to an average unit over the past two seasons.
Issues between Goff and McVay became apparent during the 2020 season despite a 10-6 record. After a 23-20 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 12, McVay publicly called out the quarterback for three turnovers and demanded that the issue improve. Over the past two seasons, Goff ranked second in the NFL with 38 turnovers.
McVay opted to start undrafted free-agent backup John Wolford in a wild-card playoff game at the Seattle Seahawks despite Goff telling his coach he would be ready to play 12 days removed from surgery on his throwing-hand thumb. Wolford was forced to leave that contest in the first quarter because of a neck injury, and Goff, the only available backup, passed for 155 yards and a touchdown in the 30-20 win. After the game, Goff expressed disappointment that he did not start.
A week later, in a divisional playoff at the Green Bay Packers, McVay was forced to start Goff with Wolford sidelined because of his neck. Goff passed for 174 yards and a touchdown in a 32-18 loss.
After the Packers game, when asked if Goff was his quarterback, McVay said, “Yeah, he’s our quarterback, right now.”
Earlier this week, Rams general manager Les Snead did not provide a public vote of confidence for Goff when asked multiple times about the quarterback’s future with the Rams.
“Moving on from Jared Goff, that’s … the money we’ve invested in him, that’s not easy to overcome,” said Snead, who added later that “anything can be done” in a cap-based system.
The Lions will face the Rams next season at SoFi Stadium.
ESPN Stats & Information and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Matthew Stafford’s 12-season career with the Detroit Lions has come to an end after the team traded the 2009 No. 1 overall pick to the Los Angeles Rams for quarterback Jared Goff, two future first-round picks and a third-round selection, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Saturday.
It’s a new era in Detroit, with general manager Brad Holmes taking over the front office and head coach Dan Campbell patrolling the sidelines.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported on Jan. 23 that Stafford and the Lions had “open and healthy discussions” following the conclusion of the 2020 season, and both sides agreed the time was right to mutually part ways.
As for Stafford, a new home where he’s better positioned to compete for a Super Bowl at this stage of his career is probably the best move as opposed to taking part in a rebuild.
The 32-year-old now heads to Los Angeles after completing 64.2 percent of his passes for 26 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and 4,084 yards last year. He’s also one year removed from amassing a career-high 8.6 yards per pass attempt.
Stafford started for the Lions from Week 1 of the 2009 season onward. Although the team hasn’t enjoyed much success outside three playoff appearances, he has fared well as the Lions quarterback, completing 62.6 percent of his passes for 282 touchdowns and 144 picks.
Moreover, the Georgia product has done an excellent job forming rapports with a rotating cast of top receivers over the past few years. A Calvin Johnson-dominated core gave way to a group led by Golden Tate and Marvin Jones Jr. before Kenny Golladay took over as the team’s clear No. 1.
Now Stafford will be throwing to Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods and a new set of pass-catchers for the Rams when he moves to L.A.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles has made a seismic change at quarterback, inserting the veteran Stafford in for Goff, whom the Rams took with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft.
Goff’s numbers had taken a tumble in recent years, with his passing yards per attempt falling from 8.4 in 2018 (the team’s NFC title year) to 7.2 in 2020.
On Jan. 29, ESPN’sJeremy Fowlerreported, “Matthew Stafford considers the Rams a viable contender in his trade market with the Lions. While it’s unclear what the Rams can do with Jared Goff’s long-term deal on the books, they’ve explored the possibilities with Stafford.”
And now that possibility is a reality, with Stafford looking to lead the Rams back to the Super Bowl.
What’s clear after Saturday night’s news, after asking around NFL front offices: Matthew Stafford wants to be a winner. He doesn’t care about the stats. He wants a chance to contend.
That’s the crux of his trade request, which the Detroit Lions will honor by exploring options for the quarterback on the market. He gave it 12 years in Detroit. It didn’t work. That’s OK for both parties to admit. And never was there a cleaner time to do this, for three reasons.
Age: Stafford turns 33 next month (OK, so maybe 40 in Lions years) and should have a few more prime seasons left.
Contract: His deal is reasonable for high-level-quarterback standards. Stafford, who is eligible for free agency in 2023, is owed $53 million over the next two seasons. That’s basically the same commitment Tampa Bay made to Tom Brady last offseason. The $10 million roster bonus is due on the fifth day of the league year, which creates a trade deadline of sorts. And the cap hits for the next two years are $33 million and $26 million, the first of which could be offset by the Lions absorbing the $10 million left of signing bonus proration.
Compensation: Stafford will be costly, but the consensus around the league is that this won’t be outrageous. While Deshaun Watson could justify a haul of picks in any Houston trade, Stafford is generally considered in that next tier. And maybe, with a new scene, Stafford’s game hits a new stratosphere.
So what would it take to land Stafford from the Lions? And which teams should be in the mix? Here’s how it all lines up, based on calls made to execs around the league over the weekend.
The Matthew Stafford era in Detroit appears to be coming to an end.
After meetings in recent weeks in which Stafford expressed a desire for a fresh start, the Lions understood his position and plan to begin discussing trade options in the coming weeks for their star quarterback, per sources.
The sides have had open and healthy discussions since the season ended. But with the Lions starting over again, hiring Dan Campbell as head coach and Brad Holmes as general manager, Stafford told the team he feels it’s the right time to move on and team officials agreed, per sources.
The Lions also own the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and are well-positioned to maneuver and target their next franchise QB. The team just made a long-term commitment to Campbell with a six-year contract. Holmes got a five-year deal.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft, Stafford has spent his entire 12-year career in Detroit, setting franchise records with 45,109 passing yards and 282 touchdown passes while playing through a myriad of injuries under three different head coaches (four including interim coach Darrell Bevell last season), and making just three playoff appearances without a win.
Despite Stafford’s age and injury history, there figures to be a strong trade market if the Lions are willing to move him. He has two years and $43 million left on his contract – a bargain price for a quarterback who is still playing at a high level. Among others, the Broncos, Colts, Panthers, Patriots, Saints and Washington Football Team enter 2021 with significant QB questions.
Any trade would likely happen prior to the fifth day of the 2021 league year in March, when Stafford is due a $10 million roster bonus. The Lions would carry $19 million in dead money on their salary cap in 2021, but a trade would yield a savings of $14 million in cap space and $20 million in cash at a time the NFL’s salary cap is expected to drop.
Stafford started all 16 games last season despite playing through rib, right thumb, ankle and neck injuries. None of those injuries are expected to require offseason surgery, a source said.
