Stafford heads to a ready-made contender in the Rams, who have had one of the NFL's best defenses for several seasons and had previously been one of the league's most explosive offenses before Goff's backslide over the past two years. Matthew Stafford trade to Indianapolis Colts. section: | slug: matthew-stafford-trade-winners-and-losers-after-lions-rams-strike-blockbuster-quarterback-deal | sport: football | route: article_single.us | Indy is built to win now, had more than enough cap space to handle (and even renegotiate) Stafford's deal, and isn't in a great spot to add one of this year's top rookie QBs. We're putting McVay instead of the Rams here, because L.A. as a whole still has to reckon with the fact it might never make a first-round pick again (hyperbole, yes, but the way Les Snead operates, who knows?). © 2004-2021 CBS Interactive. Crucially, though, there is no guaranteed money left on Goff's contract, so the Lions will be able to move on from him after this season if they so choose. The #Broncos did make a trade offer to the #Lions for QB Matthew Stafford before they got outbid by the #Rams The offer: 9th overall pick in the 2021 Draft for Stafford and a 2nd round pick. Lions News. His shot to make a true postseason impact should come sooner rather than later. It also has to reckon with the fact that Stafford, while a clear and obvious upgrade over Goff, has rarely been a consistently great QB. Put it this way: No one calling about Watson can prove that the Rams dumped so much in the Stafford trade in order to offload Goff; they can argue otherwise (and rightfully so), but the reality is, the value of erasing Goff's contract and the value of Stafford on his own cannot be fully de-tangled. Who lost it? All that said, this deal is out there now, and the optics -- representative of Stafford's actual value or not -- will almost certainly benefit Houston if it's indeed listening to offers for Watson. Stafford, then, better be worth the price, because the Rams have continued mortgaging their future to find success in the near-term. He'll have a chance to re-establish himself in Detroit under Campbell and new offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn, but with the team clearly entering the early stages of a rebuild and his contract an onerous one, he'll have to take a significant step forward to carve out a place in the team's long-term plans. It'll be kind of fun to see him suited up in honolulu blue, but even that sight might not last more than a few weeks if he's going to be playing alongside an overhauled, long-term project of a roster. Don't mistake this for something it's not. The trade terms: Los Angeles gets Stafford, a clear upgrade at quarterback ahead of an obvious bid for an immediate title run, in exchange for Goff, a 2022 first-round pick, 2023 first-rounder, as well as a 2021 third-rounder. Look, getting Goff isn't exactly the thing you want to start your offseason with, but he's not nobody at QB, and his arrival shouldn't stop Detroit from considering a QB early in the draft anyway. (The Rams giving up three picks, including two firsts, for Stafford was as much, if not more, about unloading Goff's $134 million dead weight of a contract than upgrading under center.) Anatomy of Lions’ Matthew Stafford Trade With Rams. Soon after the season concluded, Stafford went to Lions team president Rod Wood and mentioned a trade might be best for both sides. Matthew Stafford has spent his entire NFL career trying to rebuild the Detroit Lions franchise -- he was due for an upgrade and he just found one. And which other players and teams around the league will benefit -- or hurt -- because of it? Similarly, Stafford will count for $17.8 million on the Lions' books in 2021, and Detroit will inherit the four years and $106.6 million remaining on Goff's deal. They traded their 2018 first for wide receiver Brandin Cooks, their 2019 first-rounder to the Falcons for second and third-round picks, and their 2020 and 2021 first-rounders to the Jaguars for Jalen Ramsey. Otherwise, he may find himself on the open market following next season. Goff will count for $22.2 million on LA's books in 2021 while he is playing for Detroit, while the Rams inherit the two years and $43 million remaining on Stafford's contract. Trading for Matthew Stafford gives the Panthers some roster flexibility – in terms of what to do in the draft – and gives them a starter who can make the most out of Joe Brady’s offense. 1, the much-maligned Jared Goff, is headed to Detroit to replace him. Matthew Stafford trade: Winners and losers after Lions, Rams strike blockbuster quarterback deal Jared Goff, the QB headed back to Detroit, is certainly not a winner here By Cody Benjamin The Rams and Lions announced the trade … One of the biggest trades in Detroit Lions history is now officially complete. March 19, 2021 12:02 am. They traded their 2016 and 2017 firsts to move up for Goff in the 2016 draft. Stafford will be a fantasy boon to Rams' offense (2:05) Matthew Berry breaks down the fantasy impact of Matthew Stafford being traded to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Goff and draft picks. Stafford and the Lions had mutually agreed to part ways earlier in the week, with the team moving in a new direction under new general manager Brad Holmes (who until earlier this offseason was the Rams' director of college scouting) and head coach Dan Campbell. And then there's the pick haul for Stafford, who wasn't going to be around for a competitive window anyway. Matthew Stafford trade news: Details emerge of the offers Detroit Lions turned down. The Rams, after trading for Stafford, will go seven consecutive seasons without making a first-round pick. One additional note to add about Stafford's contract with the Rams came from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | Breaking down the full details of the Jared Goff-Matthew Stafford trade. If Goff couldn't make it work under the warm glow of his home-state Cali skies and the innovative tutelage of McVay, just wait until he walks into chilly Motor City to play for Dan "Kneecaps" Campbell. This easily makes the most sense, because the Colts … MMQB: Inside the Trade Negotiations That Gave Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay What They Wanted The first big offseason domino fell on the eve of an unusual Super Bowl week. But they've also got a better Plan B, in that their 12th overall pick in the draft could still net them either a top QB prospect or serve as a big asset in a move up for a Jimmy Garoppolo replacement. The most-discussed trade of the NFL offseason is now official, as Matthew Stafford is heading to the Rams and Jared Goff is heading to the Lions. 11:30 am ET, Reaction: Lions Trade Matt Stafford To The Rams, Belichick turns 69: What's next for legendary coach, Robert Woods explains who target was of playoff toss, NFL insider's look at how top 10 draft picks could go, NFL Draft: Ranking position groups from best to worst, Two-round mock draft: Falcons get creative in top 10, Chris Carson: Russ convinced me to stay in Seattle, Lions trade Matthew Stafford to Rams for firsts, Goff, Mock: Lions, Raiders benefit as WRs slide, Here's what Belichick said about any plans to draft QB, Possible new names for Washington Football Team, Report: 49ers offered Jets 1st-round pick for Darnold, Carson: Russ convinced me to remain with Seahawks. In a blockbuster trade, the Lions sent Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for the Rams' first-round draft picks in 2022 and 2023, a third-round pick in 2021, and quarterback Jared Goff, CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora confirmed. The Lions still have to hit on those picks to turn it around (and, as we've seen with other clubs, like the Raiders, that's easier said than done), but they're at least coming away with full pockets here. Getting Stafford would've been their cleanest path to contending again in 2021, and beyond. Covering the impact of coronavirus on the sports world. Matthew Stafford has spent his entire NFL career trying to rebuild the Detroit Lions franchise -- he was due for an upgrade and he just found one. They have the roster to set him up for that success, having made the playoffs in three of four seasons under Sean McVay and advancing to the Super Bowl in 2018 before ultimately falling to the New England Patriots. The expectation is that Stafford will not require a contract extension as part of this deal. All Rights Reserved. Two firsts and a third to deal with Goff's salary for the short term? The Texans are an unmatched mess. 1 overall picks trading places in the first blockbuster NFL trade of 2021. Covering the impact of coronavirus on the sports world. In this case, there’s four parties involved in this trade: the Detroit Lions, the Los Angeles Rams, Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | Now, they're left to sort through the other names on the block -- most of which will require rehabilitation projects (see: Carson Wentz, Sam Darnold) -- or bank on a mid-tier free agent if they're not going to go wild with a draft-day trade. Easy call. Lions trade Matthew Stafford for Jared Goff, picks; A tale of two QBs by Robert Jones. Would cost them $32M in Cap for him to NOT be there. Maybe Sam Darnold's an option here, and maybe, just maybe, if the Patriots don't come calling, Garoppolo is as well. General manager Martin Mayhew, who drafted Stafford first overall in 2009, was fired. Two former No. Goff has been a skittish, immobile starter way more than people realize. Unless he gets dealt again, with Detroit simply serving as a mediator to absorb his big money, Goff is in trouble. Goff eventually entered the game due to an injury to starter John Wolford and led the team to a victory over the division rival Seahawks, but was unable to follow it up with another over the Green Bay Packers the following week. 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. Winners, losers from blockbuster Matthew Stafford trade to Los Angeles Rams. Rams trade Jared Goff to Lions for Matthew Stafford in swap of quarterbacks Stafford, who turns 33 next Sunday, was the first pick in the 2009 draft. Stafford now gets to call sunny California his home, with Sean McVay as his head coach, and all kinds of promising weapons around him, not to mention a stout defense. Still, if you're McVay, you have every reason to do jumping jacks. Plus, this isn't just any old change of scenery. And, more importantly, the Stafford compensation should not be a referendum on the expected trade value of Deshaun Watson. 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, at The Rams signed Goff to a four-year, $130 million contract extension after his third NFL season, and will take a significant dead-money hit onto their books after making this deal. He wouldn't have played good soldier for more than a decade in Detroit if he didn't appreciate the chance to lead the Lions, but this was past due. Stafford -- who spent a decade in Detroit and departs as the Lions' all-time leader in completions (3,898) passing yards (45,109), passing touchdowns (282), and quarterback wins (74) -- took the franchise to three playoff appearances in his tenure, but the team failed to win a playoff game, going 0-3. At this point, you're probably talking three, if not four first-rounders as a starting point. Stafford lets it rip and guts it out. The Rams will be counting on him having much greater success in LA than he did in Detroit. The Denver Broncos were widely presumed to be one of the teams interested in trading for Matthew Stafford back in January. ALLEN PARK -- Matthew Stafford didn’t have a no-trade clause, but the Detroit Lions were in communication with their longtime quarterback while searching for a deal. 3:19 pm ET, Insider Reaction: Lions Trade Matt Stafford To The Rams, Belichick turns 69: What's next for legendary coach, Robert Woods explains who target was of playoff toss, NFL insider's look at how top 10 draft picks could go, NFL Draft: Ranking position groups from best to worst, Two-round mock draft: Falcons get creative in top 10, Chris Carson: Russ convinced me to stay in Seattle, Winners and losers from Stafford blockbuster trade, Mock: Lions, Raiders benefit as WRs slide, Here's what Belichick said about any plans to draft QB, Possible new names for Washington Football Team, Report: 49ers offered Jets 1st-round pick for Darnold, Carson: Russ convinced me to remain with Seahawks. For Goff, it is an unceremonious end to his tenure with the Rams. Who won the deal? 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