Raise your hand if you saw this one coming. Following news from last night that Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford would welcome a trade to the Rams, we’re now hearing that Los Angeles is shopping around their incumbent signal-caller. Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports that the Rams have held “exploratory talks with multiple teams” regarding a Jared Goff trade.
[RELATED: Rams In Play For Matthew Stafford?]
From a financial perspective, trading Goff is easier said than done. As Rodrigue explains, the Rams would be stuck with $22.2MM in dead money if they were to trade the former first-overall pick. However, a trade would be more palatable if it took place after June 1, as the Rams would be left with only $6.8MM in dead money (plus another $15.4MM in dead cap in 2022). As our own Sam Robinson pointed out last night, releasing Goff is also unrealistic. The guarantees in the quarterback’s four-year, $134MM deal go through 2022, and the organization doesn’t have an easy out on that contract until 2023. While Stafford has base salaries of just $9.5MM and $12.5MM over the next two years, Goff’s contract certainly complicates any potential trade.
After earning Pro Bowl nodes in his sophomore and junior seasons (including a 2018 campaign where he helped guide the Rams to a Super Bowl loss), Goff has seemingly plateaued over the past two years. He tossed a career-high 16 interceptions in 2019, and his 20 passing touchdowns in 2020 was the lowest total since his rookie year (when he started only seven games). For comparison’s sake, Stafford has tossed fewer than 20 touchdowns only once since 2011, and that came during a 2019 campaign where he compiled 19 passing touchdowns in only eight games.
As Sam noted last night, Rams head coach Sean McVay and GM Les Snead have recently made comments indicating Goff’s status is less than secure. Rodrigue also notes that there’s a connection between the Rams’ and Lions’ front offices; new Lions GM Brad Holmes previously served as the Rams’ director of college scouting. Now ,that’s not to say that any Goff trade would necessarily involve the Lions; considering Detroit’s apparent desire to restart, it doesn’t seem that Goff would be a fit in any hypothetical Stafford-to-Los Angeles deal. Still, the connection between the front offices is too obvious to ignore.
Is Stafford really that much better than Goff. The Colts should be in on Stafford solid young team with lots of cap space.
Yes Staff is really that much better.
They want a QB that can run when he has to. Can Stafford do that?
Yes, Stafford is more agile than people give him credit. He is above average at scrambling and evading sacks
Bruh wtf games are you watching the guy can’t get away from a sack to save his life
You have to be a mobile QB to have success in this league. If you can’t run like Tom “the deer” Brady or Drew “the gazelle” Brees you might as well not try. Look at league MVP Aaron Rodgers. You need those kinds of rushing yards!!!
Do you know anything about gazelles?
Lmao
The Rams OLine is better than the Lions. That would help right off the bat. Goff isn’t a pocket QB, watch the Miami game. He isn’t a well rounded QB. Wolf it’s is a more mobile QB than Goff. Stafford would make that offense so much better. The $$$ is the issue.
I meant Wolford.
have you watched both of them play? Obviously not, Stafford is a lot better
I forgot Detroit had a football team. They been irrelevant for years. Even Barry gave up on them.
Stafford is OBVIOUSLY that much better than Goff. Try watching some football
Stafford is significantly better than Goff.
Yea he did so much when he had megatron wow I remember all those Super Bow… playoff victor… losing seasons. Stafford is a 15-20 qb in this league nothing. They call him a gunslinger like he’s Brett farve but when you can throw it that far just to throw it to the other team, you’re still garbage
Yes. Look what he’s done on terrible teams.
Yup
Stafford is a stud. Underrated on a mediocre team
To be fair … neither one of them are the answer in my opinion.
That wasn’t the question.
Really the only real drawback to Stafford is his lack of mobility. He has to be in an offense that offers real protection for him to sit in the pocket, where he excels. The Colts probably have that kind of O-line. Not sure the Rams do anymore.
Stafford is more mobile than people assume. He scrambles well. He has to because of how porous the Lions OL has been. He’s not an RPO threat so teams don’t put a spy on him but he’s run for 1,200 yds in his career. About the same as Matt Ryan & 2X Aaron Rodgers.
Well, he’s not a statue like say, Nick Foles or Tom Brady, but he’s far from the dual threat QBs that teams seem to go for now. Still, like you say, he’s slippery enough that with a solid running game and enough consistent pocket protection, I think he could lead a team all the way.
Rodgers has over 3,200 career rushing yards. Your user name is rather ironic Stat_head.
Castonzo retired so that leaves a big hole to fill on the Colts OL where blindside protection is most critical.
I’d still take the colts o line with Nelson Kelly and smith. That’s 3 great guys, with potential help on the way blind side if they don’t move smith over. With the heavy run offense he won’t take anywhere near as many hits.
Teams need to be smarter about the qb contracts. Too many teams paying qb’s big long term deals and having no cap flexibility a year or two later when they want to go in a different direction. Goff, Cousins, Carr, bridgewater, Wentz, Jimmie G., rodgers, Watson…long list.
Not sure why Rodgers is listed…..GB isn’t trying to go in a “different direction”. All you’ve heard is made up media stories that he wants out which hasn’t and won’t happen.
Houston doesn’t want to go a new direction, Watson does.
I think everyone is aware that owners have always been their own worst enemy when it comes to financial contracts. That being said, whatever happened to showing patience and making a real effort to develop young QBs? Nowadays if they have any kind of setback, they are likely to be discarded as casually as a disposable lighter.
Patriots
I wish there was an NFL Trade Machine. Their cap is so much more difficult to navigate bc contracts are written so convolutedly on bar napkins.
Regardless of money… if you’re the Colts, Watson would cost a fortune in assets, Wentz or Goff probably wont cost much. Cam and Dalton are your only starting caliber options on the FA market right now. Dak will get retained. Maybe they swing a trade for an outdated QB from a Watson trade… Bridgewater? Take a chance on Winston? Trade for Darnold?
Lot of avenues. And the long shot is Luck coming out of retirement.
Trubisky is the best QB on the FA market scary as it seems. Cam is done, his body knows that, his brain can’t figure it out.
I’m assuming he is brought back.
If Stanford has only 9.5mil in a cap hit the Steelers should be all over this. Cut Ben and save 19mil and offer a first this year for Stafford and your recover 10 mil and do not have to worry about the cost of a first rounder. I know why they won’t. It is loyalty, which is the one huge weakness of the organization overall.
Who wants him…… just another quarterback…. He’s nothing special….
Can’t believe anyone really has interest in Goff. McVay did his best to hide his weaknesses with schemes, but the league now has the cheat code. The guy is no better than QBs that have already washed out of the league – like Paxton Lynch.
Trade Goff for Stafford, probably throw in a third round pick to the lions to get it done and then everyone is happy
So close. Two 1st rd picks off…
Man these NFL trades are hilarious Geoff Stafford.LA trying to trade Geoff to Detroit lol Watson wants out of houston and jj watt wants more money speculations and rumors are funny as hell
Patriots should look into this should Goff come with cash & picks.
Maybe Colts should look into getting Geoff since rivers retired.i cant geoff going to Patriots because robert kraft is cheap owner how come he didnt kept brady.When brady won last sunday the tweets were pouring like water alot of brady former teammates gave him his congratulations in beating Packers.The fact of matter is where geoff going or stafford or jimmy g and watson decision in leaving the texans.Free agency is pouring with now mitch trubisky is free agent where he going to end up few teams are already looking at trubisky and stafford.JJ watt wants out of houston he probably end in 49ers
Imagine seeing Geoff in new england nah aint happening probably detriot or even somewhere else.Now stafford in 49ers or colts or raiders robert kraft might as well draft quarterback in april pats dont want stafford or geoff either
Who is this Geoff person you keep mentioning? You have commented about him in three different posts. I have never heard of him…
I hope the Rams don’’t have to wait until after June 1 to move Goff. That seems like a long time to wait and I imagine a guy like Stafford will be moved before then. Goff’s contract really is awful. The Rams may need to trick someone in order to get rid of him. Either that or just suck it up and take the larger financial loss.
Jared Geoff is la rams quarterback in other comments i put Geoff instead of saying Jared thats topic.Now Geoff might end up in indianapolis colts or matthew stafford either way one of those teams might pick him up
Geoff, huh? You sure about that? Is that short for Geoffrey?
He’s trolling you let it go
Colts should pick up Goff or stafford
Just cant see stafford in la stafford isnt one of those qb that would run hes more of pocket passer qb.And Goff playing in detriot that would be somethin to look forward to but goff has been struggling on field not knocking him but he do much better in another team like the colts
Every coach is trying to find a suitable quarterback that could run as much throwing ball down field get that but not every quarterback is like brady or rodgers or brees or jackson or allen or murray most teams draft instead of free agency
Eagles and Rams swap Goff for Wentz LOL. Both need a new atmosphere!
Hey you guuuyyyyyyysssss. You going to be the last ones to break the news or second to last?
How is that trade not on here yet
Breaking news should arrive by this week it involved Goff and Stafford and other names that are in the mix of being traded like Watson,Trubisky,Darnold.Now the jets are trying to get Deshaun watson by trading Darnold or some draft picks
Goff and Wentz trade they havent mentioned it eagles should keep wentz and besides eagles have new head coach and owner is going with Wentz regardless of situation that took place towards end of last season
Eagles arent going a different route Wentz is their guy in Philadelphia far as jalen hurts hes the backup quarterback to Wentz i could imagine eagles trading Wentz for Goff its not gonna happen unless draft picks take place between Eagles and Rams
Its official bout Goff and Stafford trade Detriot traded Stafford to LA Rams for draft picks and Goff