As uncertainly looms over the future of Matthew Stafford, speculation about a potential trade will no doubt continue to intensify. The veteran quarterback’s camp has permission from the Rams to gauge his market value, and a degree of clarity on the asking price for any potential deal appears to have emerged. 
Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports the Rams will alter the trade cost in a swap depending on how much money an acquiring team is willing to take on. Stafford and Los Angeles reached a one-year agreement on a revised deal last offseason, but the acceleration of money into 2024 left team in player in a similar situation for this spring. The 37-year-old will play in 2025, and the Rams have made it clear they are on board with keeping him as their starter as long as his career continues.
Considering the updates which have emerged in recent days on this situation, it would come as no surprise if a firm asking price were to emerge from the Rams. Per Bonsignore, Los Angeles would look to collect a first-round pick and more in a Stafford swap. He notes suitors will attempt to drop the cost to a package built on a second-round selection. Depending on how strong Stafford’s market proves to be, Los Angeles could be in line to receive notable draft compensation in the event efforts to work out another restructured pact fell through.
The two-time Pro Bowler is currently owed $32MM in 2025 and $31MM during the final year of his pact. Only roster bonuses totaling $4MM this year and $5MM next represent locked in compensation, however, so new guarantees (along with at least a modest raise) will be needed for an arrangement to be made. The Rams are currently mid-pack in terms of projected cap space and the team does not have a quarterback successor in the fold as things stand.
Those factors could very well help the team repeat its efforts from 2024 and grant Stafford another one-year bump in pay. If the Rams receive viable trade offers, on the other hand, they could elect to move on and start over at the position (as they will need to in the near future anyway). The former Lion has generally provided strong play during his four years in Los Angeles, although injuries and the threat of declining production represent obvious reasons for any team to hesitate regarding a lucrative commitment.
To little surprise, Bonsignore names the Raiders as a potential player in the Stafford sweepstakes. New owner Tom Brady has proven to be a highly influential voice in the organization, having played a central role in the hiring of John Spytek as general manager and Pete Carroll as head coach. Vegas is among the teams in need of a new long-term answer at the quarterback spot, but both of the two passers seen as being worthy of a Day 1 selection in this year’s draft could be off the board by the time the team is on the clock at No. 6.
Adding a bridge starter would help the Raiders’ outlook for 2025, and with a Gardner Minshew release expected, they will be in the market for a veteran. The likes of Sam Darnold and Russell Wilson could be targets in free agency provided they become available, but a trade for Stafford would provide Vegas with a short-term upgrade. Whether or not the Raiders or any other interested party will be prepared to meet the Rams’ asking price will make for one of the league’s top storylines over the near future.
Yeah, good luck with that.
Delusional. Other options out there that may be even better depending on the team and fit. It’s most likely them just shooting high and hoping for a second or third.
Delusional or “them just aiming high?”
I think the Giants make a ton of sense.
Round 2 for Stafford
pick 35 is basically a 1st rounder
Stafford, Nabers, and whoever they draft at 3 is a solid foundation
Giants could use a breath of fresh air
Plus there’s ultimately still the possibility that Tennessee & Cleveland start off the draft Sanders-Ward
1st rounder? for a 37 year old with ONE amazing season. the rest are meh….anyone wasting more than 6th is an idiot
He’s had plenty of amazing seasons. It’s just that he’s 37, always dealing with nagging injuries, and is due a lot of money. He’s worth more than a 6th but less than a 1st.
Well most of those “amazing seasons” were with the Lions and LA sold out to get their Super Bowl win which he got them but has now put them in a bad salary/cap situation forward….
Doesn’t matter the situation he put them in, he won a super bowl for them which is all that matters
Yankee is correct!
And not only is he owed a ton of money still, he wants more and that’s what makes this situation really bad.
Hard to see how teams would be lining up to give up a 1st round pick AND 50 million bucks. But after seeing the Rodgers nightmare for the Jets it shows there is a sucker born every minute. However, It sounds like people are lining up to have their pockets picked. SMH
Stafford has had more than one amazing season
He’s currently 10th in all time passing yards and another 2 years he could be 5th or better all time
He’s at 59,089 and Roethlisberger sits at 64,088
He’s also 10th all time in passing touch downs at 377 and could hit 6th overall passing Philip Rivers at 421.
You don’t hit all time awards by just having one great season.
Passers in the 2010’s(ok starting in the 00’s) and onward have inflated totals compared to previous era(s). He’s been very good but this should always be recognized when comparing stats.
If you look at the top 15 of all time. 11/15 are 00s onward. So being top 5 compared to your peers in the same era is still impressive.
I’d argue that he has amazing stats as opposed to seasons. His time in Detroit didn’t amount to anything and the one year he won the Super Bowl he finally lived up to his billing.
Great stats Fleet,
I think whoever acquires Stafford knows they’re taking a hit in 2026 to give their team a chance in 2025
6th? That’s idiotic! 3rd is likely.
Rams front office randomly drug tested on Monday
From 1996-2008 the Lions had 11 non winning seasons and 2 winning seasons including an 0-16
During staffords time he alone had 4 winning seasons out of 12. Would up 74-90-1 compared to 65 wins from 96-08.
Dude made Detroit more competitive despite significant misses in the draft during his tenure
Pettigrew, Best, Titans Young, Leshoure, Broyles, Ebron, Swanson, Adullah, Tomlinson, Kerryon Johnson.
Ebron had the talent of Antonio Gates but pissed it away. Had he met his potential–though drops were a problem–Stafford would have had more success in Detroit.
It never hurts to aim high, but they’re not getting a first in return for Stafford. If LA picks up some of the tab, I could see a 2nd round pick. If Vegas is taking the entire salary, feels like a 3rd round pick would be fair.
I can see a Matt Ryan type return – two thirds and maybe one of the thirds is conditional or even a 3rd and 4th
Say a 2025 third
2026 third that becomes a 2nd if they make the playoffs if you’re a bad team and 1st if you make the Super Bowl or championship game.
Or 2026 4th that becomes a 3rd if they make playoffs 2nd if they make championship game 1st if they make Super Bowl
Good luck with that, going to be a couple of 3rds at best. He gets injured and may only play 1 year.
Giants seem like a good team to go with that offer. They seem to like old beat up QBs and over pay for them. No way a good run team goes with that trade. I could see Pete going for it though. Can’t see him going after Wilson. There relationship was not good at the end and haven’t seen anything to say it is better. That relationship destroyed a great team.
Maybe Pete says if you can’t beat him maybe should get him. Stafford has a 6-3 regular season record against Pete coached Seahawks.
Have the Rams made it clear that they’re comfortable continuing with Stafford? They’ve tried to trade him of alter his contract every offseason since handing him that new deal.
Why would a team trade a first for Stafford when they have a chance to get Cousins for veteran minimum salary and no draft picks?
Stafford can probably play at a high level another 3 years behind a good offensive line. The average NFL career is only 3/4 years so Stafford will definitely find suitors and a low #1 will probably be the price.
I’ve always been a fan of Matty but there is no market out there for him so he’ll play out his current contract then retire. The Steelers and Raiders have been suggested as landing spots but exchanging one bridge QB for another isn’t going to be the long term answer those organizations need.
He will be playing for the Titans next season.
No.
I could see the Titans offering a second round pick for him, but their line is much worse than the Rams and he will have trouble staying upright. Pollard, Ripley and Ihkine are good weapons though and Stafford could help Okonkwo’s development as well.
Ridley, Ikhine … my bad
Hopefully something happens before they see Sanders available in the draft.
As crazy an ask as it is, as long as Woody Johnson is an owner, you never know
I think he’ll have a gig next year. Darnold, Jones, Wilson, Fields, Rogers, etc, are in the mix because teams need a QB. Sure, he’s an older player, but he’s better than some of those guys just listed.
No one has multiple FRPs this year, so if I’m the Giants, Jets, Raiders I’d have to trade back before dealing a FRP to LA.