Rating of the Detroit Lions’ trade on Matthew Stafford

The Detroit Lions made everyone’s Saturday night a little more interesting. A chance sale that sent Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams for two future first rounds, a pick from the third round in 2021 and Jared Goff was a deal that did not predict much. Once the news broke that Stafford had asked him out of Detroit, most speculated that Detroit might pick a first-round pick and maybe a little more.

The inclusion of Jared Goff and his contract will be the point of his contract, because without him it will be an easy win for the Lions. A 33-year-old Stafford for two first rounds is a steal.

But it seems unlikely the Lions had the matter on the table anywhere else, even though there are reports of Detroit turned down some other very important options. Instead, they ate a serious salary cap for the next two seasons for a young quarterback whose career has collapsed over the past two years for the extra tight draft capital.

Today’s question of the day is therefore:

What grade do you give to Lions’ trade on Matthew Stafford?

My answer: I think this trade is a solid B +.

While it’s not ideal to tackle Goff’s bloated contract, there should be a push and a pull when picking up two first-round picks for an aging quarterback. Goff’s contract only hurts the Lions for the next two seasons, and it is unlikely that they will compete for much in those years.

Meanwhile, the Lions are getting some immediate draft compensation with a third pick this year, and are getting a serviceable quarterback to bridge the gap between now and who the team chooses as their next franchise passer. Maybe there’s even a little conviction that Goff could be that guy, but I’m not buying it personally right now.

By the time 2023 rounds out, the Lions are likely to be Goff-free without any salary cap implications other than the lack of money left over, and they will be richer the first two rounds. I would definitely take this for a team that needs a complete rebuild.