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Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Matthew Stafford for Aaron Donald – who says no? The Rams, apparently.
The Lions acquired a pair of first-round picks as well as quarterback Jared Goff in the Matthew Stafford trade on Jan. 31, but Detroit’s initial offer to the Rams was aimed even higher.
Detroit have reportedly asked to receive Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald three times in exchange for Stafford, ESPN reported. Adam schefter. And while we don’t know the exact reaction to Detroit’s request, we can assume that there was a lot of laughter on the other end of the phone.
With all due respect to Stafford, treating Donald for the veteran quarterback would have been devastating for Los Angeles. Donald is widely regarded as football’s best defensive player, with his three Defensive Player of the Year awards being presented over the past four seasons. The Pittsburgh product finished 2020 with 13.5 sacks and four forced fumbles, marking his fourth straight double-digit sacking campaign. The only game the Rams’ elite defense failed in, in their playoff loss to the Packers, came while Donald was playing due to a rib injury he sustained the week before. Far from being at full power, Donald needed frequent stints to catch his breath as his torn rib cartilage made it difficult to breathe in the freezing temperatures of Green Bay.
Detroit deserves at least a minimum of mockery for their pursuit of Donald, but ultimately the Lions took a page from NFL Negotying 101: It can’t hurt to ask. Perhaps the Eagles or Jets will adopt a similar tact when they potentially deal with their respective starting quarterbacks in the coming weeks.
Sam Darnold for TJ Watt – who says no?
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