Rams, According to Rumor, Make a Splash by Trading for Matthew Stafford

By John Turney 

This CBS Tweet says it all

Last year when the Rams acquired Jalen Ramsey we posted that the Rams have never been shy about making big-time deals. If the InterWeb rumors are accurate they have pulled the trigger on another blocked buster trade once again. 

Many sources are reporting that the Detroit Lions are dealing QB Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for two future first-round picks, a third-round pick plus QB Jared Goff.

So, they get: Matthew Stafford

They give up: Two #1s and a #3.

The Rams paid a heavy price for Jared Goff in dollars and in draft capital. 

In 2019 Goff signed a four-year, $134 million contract with $110 million of that guaranteed. In 2016 the Rams traded a bundle to get Goff. We've detailed it before but here it is again—

In April of 2016, the Rams sent a 2016 first-round pick plus two second-round picks and a third-round pick plus another first-round pick (2017) and a 2017 third-round pick to the Titans in exchange for the #1 overall pick, a fourth-round pick, and a sixth-round pick.  With that #1 overall the Rams took Jared Goff.

So they got: The #1 overall (Jared Goff), a #4, and a #6

They gave up: Two #1s, two #2s, and two #3s.

The Rams 2016 Draft chart looks like this

(round, overall, player, pos, school)
1 #1 Jared Goff, QB, Cal

1 #15 (Choice to Tennessee)
2 #43 (Choice to Tennessee) Pick from Philadelphia for Sam Bradford
2 #45 (Choice to Tennessee)
3 #76 (Choice to Tennessee)
4 #110  Tyler Higbee, TE, Western Kentucky
4 #113 (to Chicago) from Tennessee
4 #117  Pharoh Cooper, WR, South Carolina (From Chicago)
5 # (155)   (Used for Isiah Battle in Supplemental draft)
6 #177 Temarrick Hemingway, TE, South Carolina St. (from Tennessee)
6 #190  Josh Forrest, MLB, Kentucky
6 #206  Mike Thomas, WR, Southern Miss (from Chicago)
7 #235 (Choice to Tennessee for Case Keenum)

 

The top of the 2017 draft looks like this

(round, overall, player, pos, school)

1 #5 Choice to Tennessee for Jared Goff

2 #37 (Choice to Buffalo plus #149 for #44 and #91)

2 #44 Gerald Everett, TE, South Alabama (Choice from Buffalo)

3 #69 Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington

3 #91 John Johnson, S, Boston College (Choice from Buffalo)

3 #100 (Choice to Tennessee) Compensatory pick for Janoris Jenkins

The Rams got Goff and the fourth, which the split, in essence, and got Pharoh Cooper and Mike Thomas. A good little draft move, a Les Snead special, getting two for one, and both were good special teams players but neither could play wide receiver in the NFL and both are gone. They used the sixth-rounder on Temarrick Hemingway. But what can be expected from a late-rounder? Hard to criticize that, really.

To get the extra second-rounder and third-rounder the Rams used the draft capital they got for sending Sam Bradford to the Eagles and the compensatory pick they received when  Janoris Jenkins signed with the Giants.

So, all told, outgoing picks are four #1s, two #2s, and three #3s

Incoming players are Matthew Stafford in 2021, Jared Goff (#1 overall in 2016), Pharoh Cooper, Mike Thomas, Temarrick Hemingway.

And now the "outgoing column" adds Goff to Cooper, Thomas, Hemingway (and Jenkins and Bradford two premium picks that could have been used elsewhere). 

Stafford in Rams uniform--Photoshop via Twitter

So, all of that falls on Stafford, himself a 2009 #1 overall pick. Invested in him in this trade string are the 2010 #1 overall pick (the Rams got Foles and a #2 for Sam Bradford and some change) the 2016 #1 overall pick (which the Rams paid and additional #1 and two #3s to swap their own 2016 #1 pick for) for a total draft capital of the four #1s, two #2s, and three #3s we mentioned.

Ironically, due to other trades for Brandin Cooks and Jalen Ramsey, the last time the Rams drafted in the first round was in 2016 when they grabbed Goff, though in 2019 they could have but they traded out of the first round to gather additional picks. Now, it seems it will be 2014 before they do so again unless they trade back into round one the next few years which certainly is possible for Trader Les.

They are rivaling Washington's run of not having a first-round pick from 1968 (when they took Jim Smith who lasted a year) until 1980 when they took Art Monk who went to the Hall of Fame. That's eleven years in the desert for Washington...if the Rams do draft in the 2024 first-round as they are currently scheduled it will be just seven years out of the premium round. 

Stafford is a good fit. He's always impressed with his toughness (playing on that hurt shoulder as a rookie. It was a gutty performance that sold us). He still has a great arm but is he going to be productive from 33-35, 36, 37, and on like Brady or Rodgers? 32 is the new 29 for quarterbacks, and the way they are protected Stafford should be okay, health-wise. 

Bert Jones in 1982

But what are they going to use to draft premium players to protect him or to give him the weapons he needs? Not to mention other needs that always seem to come up. It's hard to always plug them with second-rounders or third-rounders. 

But, the Rams are just being the Rams. Go big or go home. They hit a homer on SoFi Stadium, it's amazing and t looks great. They swung big on the uniforms and struck out. 

Maybe this will be the trade home run? Will Stafford be more Brady's is now with the Bucs or like others who have left their original team and done well. Peyton Manning comes to mind, and there are others. 

Or, will he be more than Bert Jones? One short stint and then the Rams have no quarterback. 

In all cases, that's a lot to pay for a quarterback. It didn't seem that Jared Goff was THAT bad. We thought we saw him in the Super Bowl in February 2019. That's just two years ago, right? Just checking.

As for Goff being told he's been traded to the Lions has to be like this—