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0 out of 5
Duane Burleson / Associated Press
The Los Angeles Rams have a successful deal with the Detroit Lions that drops the first domino of this year’s quarterback carousel.
According to NFL Network’s Tom pelissero, the Rams sent quarterback Jared Goff, their 2021 third-round pick, 2022 first-round, and 2023 first-rounder to the Lions in exchange for quarterback Matthew Stafford. The deal won’t be official until the league’s new year.
Following the Rams’ loss to the Green Bay Packers in the 2020 playoff division round, NFL Network’s Steve Wyche reported that a source told him that Goff and head coach Sean McVay needed of “marriage counseling”.
McVay and general manager The Sneads hadn’t hesitated to say that Goff was their starter for the 2021 season. Now we see why they wouldn’t tie the team’s immediate future to him.
Goff appeared to be reaching his prime when he threw for 4,688 yards, 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions en route to a Super Bowl appearance in the 2018 season. In the last two seasons, he has made 42 touchdowns and 29 interceptions. .
The Rams chose to pivot for Stafford, who has suffered injuries in the last two terms, although he can still throw the ball all over the field and move a little more than Goff in the pocket.
Let’s take a look at the biggest winners and losers in the deal.
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Matthew staffordBen Margot / Associated Press
Matthew Stafford should feel relieved. Last week he and the Lions agreed to go their separate ways, which opened talks for a trade, per Pelissero.
The Lions acted quickly and Stafford got a one-way ticket after 12 seasons with a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game since 1992. Although he made three playoff trips with the club, Detroit hasn’t. been able to put a full team around him.
For the most part, Stafford had to put the offense on his shoulders. He played with a single 1,000-yard rusher – Reggie Bush in 2013 – and a defensive unit that placed in the top 10 scorers.
Stafford will join a club that notched a playoff berth in three of four seasons under McVay, who also fielded a top-10 rushing attack in three seasons. In 2020, the Rams finished with the best defense under the leadership of former defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, who accepted the head coach position for the Los Angeles Chargers earlier this month.
Still, with two star defenders in cornerback Jalen Ramsey and defensive tackle Aaron Donald, Stafford likely won’t have to score more than 30 points to win games. He will have a complementary rushed attack and decent defense.
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Jared goffAssociated press
In Los Angeles, the wheels quickly fell off the Jared Goff train. Two years after a Super Bowl appearance, the Rams severed ties with him after inconsistent consecutive seasons.
In 2020, Goff threw 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. In December, he broke his right thumb and was absent from the team’s Week 17 game against the Arizona Cardinals. John Wolford started and led the Rams to victory.
Although Goff was cleared to play against the Seattle Seahawks in the Wild Card round, McVay chose to start Wolford, who injured his neck early in the game. Los Angeles won the contest, but some wondered why Goff hadn’t started if he was healthy enough to prepare for the game.
The Rams have announced their decision to turn the page on Goff’s tenure as a starting quarterback. Now he’s heading to a franchise that’s in rebuild mode. This offseason, the Lions have hired general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell to succeed Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia, respectively.
Goff will look to reinvent himself under the guidance of a full-time first-year head coach with a franchise that has not had playoff success in nearly three decades.
3 out of 5
Sheila Ford Hamp, Principal Owner of the Detroit LionsPaul Sancya / Associated Press
Brad Holmes rose through the ranks with the Rams organization, moving from Assistant Scout status to Director of College Scouting. He signed a five-year contract with the Lions to oversee what looks like a rebuild.
Holmes knows Goff, who the Rams picked with the No. 1 overall pick in 2016. He will also acquire top-quality draft picks to revamp the roster in the years to come.
The Lions have dealt with an aging quarterback with two years left on his contract for a good run. Detroit will have two first-round picks in 2022 and 2023, and Holmes could use that capital project to fill gaps in the roster or wrap them up to a quarterback.
Heading into the 2021 campaign, the Lions have a solid quarterback placeholder in Goff. If he’s not the guy, future draft picks will allow the front office to change course. After the 2022 campaign, Detroit can free Goff and save $ 23.9 million in cap space, per Over the Cap.
If the Lions score the top picks in the draft, the franchise may take a positive turn in the years to come. More importantly, Detroit has flexibility because of the compensation it received for Stafford.
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San Francisco 49ers Head Coach Kyle ShanahanRoss D. Franklin / Associated Press
The San Francisco 49ers have lost twice as a result of that successful deal.
For starters, the 49ers were thought to have an interest in Stafford, according to NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco, and NFL analyst Chris Simms thought the veteran quarterback would have performed well in the head coach system. Kyle Shanahan (h / t Maiocco).
“Him in Kyle Shanahan’s offense, just to be totally true and honest about it, yeah I think Kyle could contain him a bit to eliminate some of the mistakes,” Simms said. “It could be a very dangerous offense.”
In 2020, 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo injured his ankle and struggled for six games, throwing seven touchdowns and five interceptions, so we shouldn’t be surprised at the team’s willingness to find an upgrade to the position.
The 49ers missed Stafford, and they’ll see him in the division twice a year as the Rams’ starting quarterback.
San Francisco may stand a chance against a quarterback like Deshaun Watson if the Houston Texans decide to trade him, but it can cost a lot more now that the deal has been set, which brings us to our final winner.
5 out of 5
Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun WatsonEric Christian Smith / Associated press
The Lions traded Matthew Stafford, 32, whose impending split with the team has become public. But still, Detroit managed to grab a third round pick and two first rounds for him.
Deshaun Watson called for trade before Houston Texans hire head coach David Culley, ESPN says Adam schefter. But new Texans general manager Nick Caserio is not interested in Watson’s move, ESPN says Sarah Bar.
Still, he could potentially strike a massive deal for a dynamic 25-year-old quarterback on the rise. In 2020, the Texans quarterback recorded 4,823 passing yards in the league with 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions on a 4-12 team.
Watson has helped lead the Texans to the playoffs in two of the past three seasons. He is also a three-time Pro Bowler. Stafford has only achieved this honor once in 12 campaigns.
The Texans will receive plenty of offers for Watson this offseason. With the Lions’ package for Stafford, Houston can raise the stakes for their disgruntled flagman. Caserio could easily ask for three first rounds and a starter in exchange for his franchise player.
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