11/21/24
January 31, 2021
Lions Trading Matthew Stafford to Rams for Goff, Draft Picks: The Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams have a deal to trade Matthew Stafford to the Rams for Jared Goff, a third round pick in 2021 and first round picks in 2022 and 2023. New Lions GM Brad Holmes was the director of college scouting for the Rams. Both quarterbacks were first overall draft picks seven years apart.
Oh my word.
Cap hit wise, it's probably relatively even money.
I think Stafford's total money package starts to level this year or next, when some of the spread out signing money gets wiped off, so his salary should be manageable.
But trading a pretty well beat up Stafford for a much younger Goff plus all those picks...wow. There's no way that's balanced value.
Even though I think I'd rather have a healthy Stafford than a healthy Goff.
New Lions GM Brad Holmes is having the kind of rookie GM kickoff that John Lynch had with the Niners. Plus he came from the Rams, so he no doubt had his game plan ready to go when he got to the table to work this deal out.
I understand the Rams doing this. The only team in this year's NFC playoffs that doesn't have some sort of question mark at QB in 2021 is Seattle. But with everything they gave up, the Rams sure as hell better win now.
Meanwhile, the Lions future is definitely getting brighter. Maybe it's time for Aaron Rodgers to go to the NFC South.
posted by beaverboard at 11:51 PM on January 30, 2021
That's a massive draft haul. If that's what it takes to get Stafford, what would be required to get Watson?
posted by rcade at 09:26 AM on January 31, 2021
From the Athletic on Lions' options with Goff, even if he turns out to be a less than stellar QB for them:
The Lions can make Goff their bridge quarterback for 2022 and 2023, and he can provide competency. If he surprises and plays well in whatever system they implement, great. They have him under contract for four seasons. But the Lions are not tied to Goff. They can draft a quarterback seventh overall this year if they want. And if the rookie beats Goff out in 2021, no big deal. They'll have a really expensive backup, but they'll also have a starter on a rookie deal. They could also start Goff and have the rookie sit for a year. If the Lions want to move up for a quarterback, they now have additional resources to do so. If they want to wait until 2022, that works too. They'll have two first-round picks.
posted by NoMich at 02:44 PM on January 31, 2021
I'm excited to see Stafford playing for a playoff caliber team.
posted by rcade at 07:55 PM on January 31, 2021
If the Rams go deep into the playoffs the next few years, those picks they traded could effectively be looked at as two early second round picks and a fourth round pick.
This trade more or less completes the relegation of the "Breathless Brace" - the consecutive pairs of top of the draft QB's that consumed the imagination of "noted draft analysts" in the mid teens.
Jameis, Mariota, Goff and Wentz have all fallen out of favor in one way or another since their heralded entries into the league. It'll be interesting to see if any of them crank up a second act as the kind of starting QB a team can rely upon and win with.
There's no shortage of motivational material at their disposal. Goff and Wentz were both on Super Bowl teams. Mariota's Titans went to the AFC title game after his demotion and the emergence of Tannehill 2.0. And Winston's Buccaneers are going to the Super Bowl after casting him adrift.
posted by beaverboard at 12:33 AM on February 01, 2021
Has anyone done an overall value graph on Goff?
Taking into account the stunning number of picks the Rams gave up to move up in the draft to select him at #1 and then adding in the picks they gave up to get rid of him.
And then factoring in what he's going to cost the Lions in salary in 2021 according to the big extension the Rams chose to give him (voluntarily and prematurely).
A fair number of front office people have become detached from dollar and draft capital reality over this guy.
posted by beaverboard at 01:02 AM on February 01, 2021
Bonus for Stafford: he can hang out with his High School buddy Clayton Kershaw (they went to Highland Park in Dallas together).
posted by Ufez Jones at 10:49 AM on February 01, 2021
When I went to high school up the road in Richardson, Highland Park kids were thought of as the stereotypical rich assholes who can't be trusted around your girlfriend.
posted by rcade at 03:17 PM on February 01, 2021
Did they have a good lacrosse team?
posted by beaverboard at 05:04 PM on February 01, 2021
I pet-sat/dog-walked in Dallas in the mid/late aughts and had a few clients in HP/UC. There are some absolutely ridiculous properties there.
(I also had a client who lived just East of Downtown and was a neighbor of Josh Howard which was awesome since that was my peak Mav fandom. I'd often see Devin Harris's and Marquis Daniels's cars over there, and once or twice Jerry Stackhouse's. No Dirk sightings though).
posted by Ufez Jones at 09:30 AM on February 02, 2021
Lions trade Stafford to Rams for Goff and draft picks