Rams trading for Matthew Stafford

[Jazzhawk]

Very bad for Seahawks. Rams will be much better.

I think I disagree. Matthew Stafford once went 0-16. A feat that Goff has never achieved, and a feat which would just be absolutely impossible with RW. He may have an arm, but that might be all he brings to the table. Just like Jeff George did.

You need to check your dates, because that is a feat Stafford has never accomplished. Jon Kitna and a host of other QBs were the passers for the 0-16 Lions teams. Stafford was still in college at that time.

A year later, 2-16. Stafford was the starter.

 

[Seanhawk]

Very bad for Seahawks. Rams will be much better.

I think I disagree. Matthew Stafford once went 0-16. A feat that Goff has never achieved, and a feat which would just be absolutely impossible with RW. He may have an arm, but that might be all he brings to the table. Just like Jeff George did.

You need to check your dates, because that is a feat Stafford has never accomplished. Jon Kitna and a host of other QBs were the passers for the 0-16 Lions teams. Stafford was still in college at that time.

A year later, 2-16. Stafford was the starter.

Still not 0-16 in a single season. But, you're still wrong. Stafford's first three years in the league he was 2-8, 1-2, and 10-6 as a starter.

 

[RolandDeschain]

Stafford is a pretty good quarterback, this is a big upgrade for the Rams. Anyone who disagrees just doesn't want to admit it. Get ready to see new things in their offense too, now that McVay can do stuff he never could with Goff.

 

[jammerhawk]

I for one hate this trade. I think the Rams are legit contenders with Stafford. He's always been a good QB but surrounded by an inept franchise. With weapons and a offensive mastermind in McVay, look out. Once he adjusts to the new system, well...We thought it was tough to beat the Rams with Goff? Let's not kid ourselves here.

The only worst news at this point is hearing Watson being traded to the 9ers. God forbid.

I'd agree with you except upon a closer look the Rams have now put themselves in a deep cap hole that will take them quite a while to recover from. Stafford may find the Rams little different to the Lions as the Rams will lose a ton of talent to cap issues. Stafford on paper improves the Rams immensely, but it may be very short-lived.

The Niners with Watson, without a doubt would be devastating, to the rest of the division; but the Rams will have to unload some contracts or have their owner eat a very big amount of guaranteed money as their top 6 deals take close to 84% of their cap for the year base upon a $180 million cap number. It will be bargain basement time for the Rams to fill their roster.

At present the Hawks are in a better position. JS has to have a good offseason this year.

 

[chris98251]

I for one hate this trade. I think the Rams are legit contenders with Stafford. He's always been a good QB but surrounded by an inept franchise. With weapons and a offensive mastermind in McVay, look out. Once he adjusts to the new system, well...We thought it was tough to beat the Rams with Goff? Let's not kid ourselves here.

The only worst news at this point is hearing Watson being traded to the 9ers. God forbid.

I'd agree with you except upon a closer look the Rams have now put themselves in a deep cap hole that will take them quite a while to recover from. Stafford may find the Rams little different to the Lions as the Rams will lose a ton of talent to cap issues. Stafford on paper improves the Rams immensely, but it may be very short-lived.

The Niners with Watson, without a doubt would be devastating, to the rest of the division; but the Rams will have to unload some contracts or have their owner eat a very big amount of guaranteed money as their top 6 deals take close to 84% of their cap for the year base upon a $180 million cap number. It will be bargain basement time for the Rams to fill their roster.

At present the Hawks are in a better position. JS has to have a good offseason this year.

Lower cap year, Rams are in a window, renegotiating will be easier with players that know they are close, New QB and a proven player will also help if Stafford can get involved quickly and gain respect and support.

We have looked like we were in cap situations also, John navigated this well and surprised us. I won't be surprised if they figure it out also.

 

[TwistedHusky]

The Rams and the 49ers are going to be contending with each other for the division.

The Rams had 2 big weaknesses:

1 - QB

2 - QB

Now then I suppose you could say safeties, but that was the big issue with that team.

They just fixed it.

The Rams were already better than the Hawks before the trade.

Unless our own offense magically gets incredibly better, which nobody should expect, we are screwed.

Even with a better offense, our defense is not going to be good enough to fend off either the 49ers or the Rams.

We will still look like contenders in the regular season, but we won't slide into another division title like last year because we would need BOTH the 49ers and Rams to have a bad year. That is unlikely to happen again.

This year was our year. Now it looks unlikely for a long time.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Meh, I'll believe it when I see it. This team is going to be damn good again next year.

 

[Canhawks]

If I'm a Rams fan I would be a little apprehensive.To originally get Goff they gave up 2 firsts,2 seconds and 2 thirds.Now they trade that asset plus 2 firsts and and a third to get Stafford.Basically that means 4 firsts,2 seconds and 3 thirds for a 32 yr old QB.Lets not forget they gave up 2 firsts and a fourth to get Ramsey.All those high draft pics going out the door can't speak well for them long term wise

 

[AROS]

The Rams and the 49ers are going to be contending with each other for the division.

The Rams had 2 big weaknesses:

1 - QB

2 - QB

Now then I suppose you could say safeties, but that was the big issue with that team.

They just fixed it.

The Rams were already better than the Hawks before the trade.

Unless our own offense magically gets incredibly better, which nobody should expect, we are screwed.

Even with a better offense, our defense is not going to be good enough to fend off either the 49ers or the Rams.

We will still look like contenders in the regular season, but we won't slide into another division title like last year because we would need BOTH the 49ers and Rams to have a bad year. That is unlikely to happen again.

This year was our year. Now it looks unlikely for a long time.

I find your analysis way too negative about the current state of our team. How was the Rams offense with Goff better than ours with Wilson, Lockett and DK? Sure we can argue coaching, scheme, etc.. But pound for pound, player for player the Seahawks have the better offense. Defense? Sure, the #1 defense in the Rams clearly gets the nod. But to say our defense is not going to be good enough to fend off the Rams or 49ers? You mean the same defense that saw a massive improvement over the final half of the season to become one of the better defenses in the league?

I get that we have work to do and we need to have a great offseason but we were 12-4, NFC West Champions not bottom feeders of the division. Perspective.

 

[chris98251]

The Rams and the 49ers are going to be contending with each other for the division.

The Rams had 2 big weaknesses:

1 - QB

2 - QB

Now then I suppose you could say safeties, but that was the big issue with that team.

They just fixed it.

The Rams were already better than the Hawks before the trade.

Unless our own offense magically gets incredibly better, which nobody should expect, we are screwed.

Even with a better offense, our defense is not going to be good enough to fend off either the 49ers or the Rams.

We will still look like contenders in the regular season, but we won't slide into another division title like last year because we would need BOTH the 49ers and Rams to have a bad year. That is unlikely to happen again.

This year was our year. Now it looks unlikely for a long time.

I find your analysis way too negative about the current state of our team. How was the Rams offense with Goff better than ours with Wilson, Lockett and DK? Sure we can argue coaching, scheme, etc.. But pound for pound, player for player the Seahawks have the better offense. Defense? Sure, the #1 defense in the Rams clearly gets the nod. But to say our defense is not going to be good enough to fend off the Rams or 49ers? You mean the same defense that saw a massive improvement over the final half of the season to become one of the better defenses in the league?

I get that we have work to do and we need to have a great offseason but we were 12-4, NFC West Champions not bottom feeders of the division. Perspective.

We really had two guys on the D line get Redshirt years, Taylor and Robinson, Parkinson is going to make noise next year also as TE, he was added to roster what the last two games, Safety is Set, Griffin is probably a resign, I also think Wright gets worked out, Reed looks like the RCB if Dunbar isn't borght back, Reed played well, Blair back as a slot with Amandi, we are looking pretty good with health. Collier also was making noise nd add Dunlap we should start out much better next season.

Question really is how much our offense will need to add guys to make Waldons offense work, Carson, Hyde, Collins all FA's plus does our line have the talent to work in his system as well and how much turnover there.

WR's we are fine, Swain getting any reps tells us he is a up and comer, Moore made plays and then Lockett and DK, Dissly will be more comfortable and season recovered from his last injury, Hollister played lights out above his pay grade.

So that leaves only questions about who comes back really at RB.

 

[Danny Darko]

Goff dead money+Stafford, Ramsey, and Darnold are half the entire cap. That and the picks makes this a rugged trade long term, but yeah i do think they are making a big play for near term and will be much better with Stafford than Goff.

 

[chris98251]

Does anyone remember what the Bucs gave up for Gruden?

Didn't think so, they got a Super Bowl and that's all that mattered.

Rams win they gain a lot, L.A. Market loves them, at least for a year or so until the Lakers and or Dodgers do it again, they one up the Chargers in that Stadium, Stan can say his plan worked etc.

 

[jammerhawk]

It appears for sure the Rams are 'all in' however they have to sign a supporting cast and with all the dead money they are carrying and these new big contracts their top size contracts really hamstring them in acquiring the supporting cast.

They will be a flame out quickly as that model cannot be supportable over time.

Here is their cap situation: https://overthecap.com/salary-cap/los-angeles-rams/

 

[Fade]

The Rams are screwed long term. But if you watched them this year, they were the best team in the NFL, not factoring in QB. Goff was a boat anchor. They mortgaged their future, for sure. But they are going to be hard to beat in 2021.

The cost against their cap in 2021 to go from Goff to Stafford was $8M (Saved $12M, paying Stafford $20M) and Goff will be off the books entirely in 2022. I would've done it. Losing the picks hurts, and that is going to be what does them in, though. Sheer accumulation of not drafting in the first round for an entire decade. Their core aging out.

 

[Maelstrom787]

The Rams are screwed long term. But if you watched them this year, they were the best team in the NFL, not factoring in QB. Goff was a boat anchor. They mortgaged their future, for sure. But they are going to be hard to beat in 2021.

The cost against their cap in 2021 to go from Goff to Stafford was $8M (Saved $12M, paying Stafford $20M) and Goff will be off the books entirely in 2022. I would've done it. Losing the picks hurts, and that is going to be what does them in, though. Sheer accumulation of not drafting in the first round for an entire decade. Their core aging out.

I think it's going to be interesting to see how they manage it, honestly. If they can keep filling the holes on their roster with effective role players to great effect, they may seriously be onto something here in proving that what used to be an unsustainable method of roster building can be sustained if the coaching staff remains excellent and the return on value for non-premium picks and low-cost free agents continues to be better than the league baseline.

I think they can keep it going with only small dips for a good while. I'd rather be wrong and watch them crash and burn, of course.

 

[Fade]

The Rams are screwed long term. But if you watched them this year, they were the best team in the NFL, not factoring in QB. Goff was a boat anchor. They mortgaged their future, for sure. But they are going to be hard to beat in 2021.

The cost against their cap in 2021 to go from Goff to Stafford was $8M (Saved $12M, paying Stafford $20M) and Goff will be off the books entirely in 2022. I would've done it. Losing the picks hurts, and that is going to be what does them in, though. Sheer accumulation of not drafting in the first round for an entire decade. Their core aging out.

I think it's going to be interesting to see how they manage it, honestly. If they can keep filling the holes on their roster with effective role players to great effect, they may seriously be onto something here in proving that what used to be an unsustainable method of roster building can be sustained if the coaching staff remains excellent and the return on value for non-premium picks and low-cost free agents continues to be better than the league baseline.

I think they can keep it going with only small dips for a good while. I'd rather be wrong and watch them crash and burn, of course.

They've surprisingly hit on a lot of midround picks, so it has emboldened them to continue to burn their 1st round picks on trades, but they're still playing with fire. Haven't had a 1st round pick since 2016 (Goff), won't make another until 2024. Unless of course they trade that one, too.

Kroenke and McVay are hell bent on winning a Super Bowl regardless of the cost. I fully expect them to have a downturn for a few years, starting in 2023. They're stretching future resources to the max. So when this thing falls apart, and it will. It's going to take YEARS to rebuild it.

McVay isn't signed long term. It will be interesting to see if he bails in a couple years, leaving the roster in shambles, and becomes the most highly sought after coach we've seen in years. Or if he does win the big game, he stays on longterm, through their upcoming rough patch.

Stafford may not stay healthy, and then it gets really interesting down in LaLa land.

 

[Scorpion05]

Very bad for Seahawks. Rams will be much better.

I think I disagree. Matthew Stafford once went 0-16. A feat that Goff has never achieved, and a feat which would just be absolutely impossible with RW. He may have an arm, but that might be all he brings to the table. Just like Jeff George did.

You need to check your dates, because that is a feat Stafford has never accomplished. Jon Kitna and a host of other QBs were the passers for the 0-16 Lions teams. Stafford was still in college at that time.

You're also completely wrong about Matt Stafford "only bringing an arm" to the table. Stafford, Brady and Wilson have the most 4th quarter comebacks since 2012, the year Wilson joined the NFL. He's actually extremely clutch and any wins the Lions have had came off of the arm of Matthew Stafford. This is the opposite of Goff, a QB that had a penchant for folding when he was relied upon. A QB that had a very limited skill set and an offense that was completely tailored around to maximize his strengths, and minimize his weaknesses.

Have you watched the Lions? They've been an absolute train wreck since Stafford got there. A constant revolving door of coaches and coordinators, poor drafting, poor line, and for the last half of his career really poor receivers.

What does Stafford bring that Goff didn't? He is very good under pressure. He can make you pay for blitzing, and he stands tall in the pocket when being pressured. That is something Goff was horrible at, just a little pressure and he folded. Stafford is very good in clutch situations, at least in the regular season. He's pulled a lot of victories from the jaws of defeat for the Lions. Stafford is very good at the deep ball. Goff was captain checkdown for the Rams, he had a lot of easy completions dialed up by McVay. Stafford just has a much more varied skill set than Goff ever did, and he can do much more as a player. If Matt Stafford can stay healthy, McVay can potentially open that offense up quite a bit with Matt Stafford under center.

If Goff is capable of throwing for 32 touchdowns in McVay's system, I shudder to think what Matt Stafford is able to do there if he stays healthy.

This need by NFL fans to overrate Matthew Stafford is...fascinating. Every excuse is made in the book for him compared to other QBs.

Fact is Stafford has had enough talent to win for most of his years in Detroit. He has great arm talent, but none of the mental stuff it takes to be a great Quarterback. Tom Brady is great because he makes great decisions in games. Russell Wilson is great because he makes THE play to win THE game, more often than not. Stafford doesn't. His 4th Quarter comebacks are a joke compared to Brady and Wilson, because he also has a losing record against winning teams.

Stafford is not a QB capable of the leadership and decision making to elevate his team when everything is crumbling. We've seen Wilson do it, we've seen Brady do it, we've seen Rodgers do it (occasionally). Stafford is not that guy and I wish people would judge all QBs fairly instead of making excuses for the ones that fit the mold of a great QB (instead of actually being great).

 

[Maelstrom787]

Very bad for Seahawks. Rams will be much better.

I think I disagree. Matthew Stafford once went 0-16. A feat that Goff has never achieved, and a feat which would just be absolutely impossible with RW. He may have an arm, but that might be all he brings to the table. Just like Jeff George did.

You need to check your dates, because that is a feat Stafford has never accomplished. Jon Kitna and a host of other QBs were the passers for the 0-16 Lions teams. Stafford was still in college at that time.

You're also completely wrong about Matt Stafford "only bringing an arm" to the table. Stafford, Brady and Wilson have the most 4th quarter comebacks since 2012, the year Wilson joined the NFL. He's actually extremely clutch and any wins the Lions have had came off of the arm of Matthew Stafford. This is the opposite of Goff, a QB that had a penchant for folding when he was relied upon. A QB that had a very limited skill set and an offense that was completely tailored around to maximize his strengths, and minimize his weaknesses.

Have you watched the Lions? They've been an absolute train wreck since Stafford got there. A constant revolving door of coaches and coordinators, poor drafting, poor line, and for the last half of his career really poor receivers.

What does Stafford bring that Goff didn't? He is very good under pressure. He can make you pay for blitzing, and he stands tall in the pocket when being pressured. That is something Goff was horrible at, just a little pressure and he folded. Stafford is very good in clutch situations, at least in the regular season. He's pulled a lot of victories from the jaws of defeat for the Lions. Stafford is very good at the deep ball. Goff was captain checkdown for the Rams, he had a lot of easy completions dialed up by McVay. Stafford just has a much more varied skill set than Goff ever did, and he can do much more as a player. If Matt Stafford can stay healthy, McVay can potentially open that offense up quite a bit with Matt Stafford under center.

If Goff is capable of throwing for 32 touchdowns in McVay's system, I shudder to think what Matt Stafford is able to do there if he stays healthy.

This need by NFL fans to overrate Matthew Stafford is...fascinating. Every excuse is made in the book for him compared to other QBs.

Fact is Stafford has had enough talent to win for most of his years in Detroit. He has great arm talent, but none of the mental stuff it takes to be a great Quarterback. Tom Brady is great because he makes great decisions in games. Russell Wilson is great because he makes THE play to win THE game, more often than not. Stafford doesn't. His 4th Quarter comebacks are a joke compared to Brady and Wilson, because he also has a losing record against winning teams.

Stafford is not a QB capable of the leadership and decision making to elevate his team when everything is crumbling. We've seen Wilson do it, we've seen Brady do it, we've seen Rodgers do it (occasionally). Stafford is not that guy and I wish people would judge all QBs fairly instead of making excuses for the ones that fit the mold of a great QB (instead of actually being great).

No one is saying Stafford is a world-beater. But he's being compared to Jared Goff here, my dude. Stafford is a better quarterback in every single regard other than age, and absolutely unlocks the intermediate and deep passing game for the Rams. We've seen him pass at great levels in Detroit. Imagine what he can do under the best offensive coach in the game right now?

 

[Appyhawk]

Maybe I didn't watch close enough, but my impression of Stafford is that he does very well in the pocket. Out of the pocket, not so well. I think Goff did a better job with play action and out of pocket stuff. How well the Rams adjust to compliment Stafford's strengths while finding a way to compromise his weaker points will determine how successful this trade was, although losing all that draft leverage is a longer term factor.
I'm more interested and wary of what happens with whoever gets Watson, who I consider to be on par with best of the best in QB terms.

 

[WmHBonney]

Rams are all in for 2021. However, they have no depth. If the injury bugs bites them even half as bad as it bit the 9ers this past season, the Rams are toast.