Sean McVay‘s call to Jared Goff informing him of the Rams‘ decision to trade him ended quickly, but the five-year starter will exit a rapidly deteriorating (for him) situation. Both McVay and Les Snead gave suboptimal endorsements of Goff’s 2021 status recently. While the Lions could well draft a quarterback with their first-round pick, Goff is now set up to be the starter in Detroit.
“I’m just excited to be somewhere that I know wants me and appreciates me,” Goff said, via NFL.com’s Michael Silver. “I’m moving forward and couldn’t be more excited to build a winner there. I’m excited about Dan (Campbell) and the whole staff.”
Goff had entered the past four Rams seasons as the team’s unquestioned starter and will now attempt to stabilize his career in Detroit. The Rams will host the Lions at some point next season. Here is the latest from Saturday night’s blockbuster trade:
- Several teams made offers for Matthew Stafford. We can add Washington to that list. The NFC East champions presented the Lions an offer featuring more 2021 assets than the Rams offered, Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post tweets. It can be assumed Washington was willing to part with its first-round pick — No. 19 overall — but the team’s proposal could not match the unique opportunity the Lions had in leveraging Goff’s lavish contract into a monster Rams package. Washington has Alex Smith and Kyle Allen under contract for 2021, but Smith’s status is far from certain and Allen is coming off a severe injury. Taylor Heinicke is set to be an RFA.
- Joining the Panthers, Broncos, Patriots and Washington in pursuing Stafford: the 49ers, Colts and Bears, according to NBC Sports’ Peter King (Twitter link) and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. All of these teams have quarterback questions, though the 49ers have indicated Jimmy Garoppolo will be their starter next season. A Bears deal would have certainly qualified as farfetched, but Chicago made an effort at a rare intra-divisional trade. Mitchell Trubisky is a free agent and obviously has not delivered anything close to what the Bears envisioned when they drafted him. Nick Foles is under contract for 2021, but the Bears, at the very least, will bring in competition for a quarterback they benched this season. The Colts lost Philip Rivers to retirement and have Jacoby Brissett as a UFA-to-be. While Jim Irsay said he would welcome Andrew Luck back, nothing has transpired on this front in a while.
- Goff has already spoken with Campbell and other Lions staffers, and Jeff Darlington of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter) the five-year veteran has a physical coming soon. While the Lions could technically fail Goff on his physical and void the trade, Darlington adds that based on Goff’s early conversations with Detroit coaches it can clearly be assumed the former No. 1 overall pick will be the team’s starter to open the 2021 season.
Slow news week?
What’s the point of your comment?
I think it was a joke. Hope so.
Yeah they hit us with 4 Matthew Stafford headlines in the space of a few hours, I was just wondering why they didn’t do one wrap-up
Because it was a slow newsweek
Stafford clearly didn’t want to bite a defensive end’s knee cap after a sack.
Stafford’s as tough as they come and asked for the trade long before Campbell joined. He just didn’t want to be part of another rebuild at his age.
Imagine if Goff outplays Stafford….which is very possible. They’d upgrade their QB position, with a younger guy and added 3 high draft picks….
That’s laughable. Obviously you haven’t been watching Goff play.
I think the only way Goff outplays Stafford is if Stafford can’t stay healthy, which is entirely possible.
Yeah, basically the only way Goff outplays Stafford is if Stafford doesn’t play.
The treatment of Goff has been unjust and deplorable on so many levels. I am disheartened with the slanted media coverage, and much of the reader commentary filling their pages. Statistically, Goff is a MUCH better quarterback than Stafford. He has accomplished more in a shorter amount of time. It is okay for the Rams to move on from Goff. But IMO it is tacky and in poor character to defame a quarterback who brought us the success we so craved and, lacked for so many years.
I wish Goff the BEST. He is a class act and the true winner in this tacky divorce. I, for one, am done with the rams until we get a new head coach.
In the last 3 years, Goff has turned the ball over 65 times (INTs and lost fumbles combined) in 48 starts. In that same time, Stafford has turned the ball over 36 times in 40 starts. I don’t think you’re looking at all of the stats.
What statistic, wins and losses? Stafford is so much better than Goff. There is a reason he was highly pursued.
You clearly haven’t watched many Rams games. Goff was such a liability out there. He had 60+ turnovers and ranked in the bottom 7 in QBR.
You are way off in your assessment of Goff, beltran.
Goff burner account?
The fact that the Rams were throwing the Lions extra first round picks just to TAKE Goff and his contract says a lot about who’s the better quarterback. I like Goff, but Stafford has been held back by the Lions. Stafford with a legit offensive mind like McVay could be scary. He just has to stay healthy.
I think it’s more because of the contract than his ability. If the contract’s were an even match, there’s no way the Rams would’ve given up two #1s.
They certainly wouldn’t have got him for a 3rd round pick. Plenty of teams offered a 1st this year. The 2023 pick might have dropped to a 2nd or 3rd but not much else would have changed because future picks have less value than current ones. A 3rd this yr & 1st next really isn’t as enticing as a mid 1st alone this year so that 3rd pick is necessary.
Goff somewhere won’t be excited once he figures out Dan Campbell is clueless and going nowhere.
It sounds like Goff and Campbell have a lot in common.
This is a little off topic but he was raised in the article so I will say it. Smith is nuts to keep playing. I watched the 30 for 30 show on him today again and he came close to dying and was a hair away from losing his leg. The mess that his leg was was so nasty looking. If you haven’t seen it watch it. Amazing what they did with him.
Hats off to him for all the work he did to get back and be able to play. He can be proud of that retire and know he can still play. One wrong hit and he could easily lose his lower leg. Go into coaching run a QB camp or sit in the tropics with your wife in a bikini for awhile. I love the game but when they said there is a good chance I would not walk if hit right I hung it up. Respect for what he has done but look long term.
Has anyone ever said they want to go to Detroit common man.
Well…that is where Mr. Miyagi got all his sweet vintage cars…
“I’m just excited to be somewhere that I know wants me and appreciates me.”
Not sure if he realizes they didn’t trade for him. Sounds like an upset former #1 overall pick.
Yeah, the Lions basically had to take him off the Rams’ hands in order to obtain the draft picks. He will likely just be filler until their real future QB can take over, if he even lasts that long. That contract isn’t Goff’s fault, but his poor performance on the field is certainly on him.
Why would Goff be the un-questioned starter for Detroit? If that’s the case, mark 2021 as another losing season. Bring in competition, whether another vet or through the draft.
2021 will surely be a losing season in Detroit. No one is saying it won’t. That’s what happens when you rebuild from scratch.
They aren’t going to say that they are looking to trade Goff even if they are. They aren’t going to say that they are planning to draft a QB even if they are. If they trade him they will say that the opportunity was too good to pass up. If they draft a QB they will say the same thing. And if they keep him and he has success they will claim that was always the plan, they always believed in him. If he plays and stinks they will say it was worth taking a hands on and they are happy with the picks they got for Stafford.
Talking to the media is not hard.
They can’t sign another QB with Goff’s & Daniel’s contracts and it makes more sense to draft a QB next year when they’ll have 2 #1 picks and a year under their belts. As bad as Goff may be he’s better than Daniels.
Imagine that – teams that need a quarterback in 2021 were asking about Matt Stafford. Who would of thunk it?
Still can’t get over Detroit taking on that stiff Goff for what will be a bunch of mid-round draft picks. They should have sent Stafford to one of those teams with a bad head coach/front office, as they would have been assured of a top 10 first round pick for the next three years.
If you look back at the overall movement for Goff:
Rams traded: Rams’ first-round pick (2016), two second-round picks (2016), a third-round pick (2016), a first-round pick (2017) and another third-round pick (2017). 2021 third-round draft pick, 2022 first-round draft pick, 2023 first-round draft pick.
Rams got: Stafford, a fourth-round pick (2016) and a sixth-round pick (2016).
9 traded draft picks overall to select and then dump Goff. And the Eagles are about to be in the same position. People thinking they’ll get anything of value are insane, they probably will have to deal a pick to dump Wentz.
Ya’ll missing that the Rams have. 2-3 year championship window annnnnd are opening a new stadium. This is a good business trade.