Man! We knew once reports that Matthew Stafford and the Lions agreed to part ways, it was only a matter of time until he was moved. NFL Network Reporter Tom Pelissero broke the news over Twitter and it was all she wrote.
That meeting, as well as the official announcement, started the clock for the Lions to get a deal done before the 5th day of the new league year. By that time, Stafford would have to be cut from the team in order to prevent him from cashing in on his $10 million dollar bonus due on his contract.
Sources: The #Lions and Matthew Stafford have mutually agreed to part ways this offseason and the team will begin exploring trade options in the coming weeks for their star QB.https://t.co/zT00sOGb8Q
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 23, 2021
And then it happened!
Nearly a week later, the announcement came over Twitter and it was pure heat! The Rams put down an offer the Lions simply couldn’t pass over. The Rams sent over two future first-round picks, a 2021 3rd round pick, and Quarterback Jared Goff!
Now I know the initial reaction to some was that, “the Rams gave up too much for a 33-year-old QB with back issues.” And you aren’t wrong in that quick assessment. But you have to look at the trade as a whole as well as see what the Rams offense is trying to become. And you know this is going to have a big impact on the 2021 fantasy football season to boot. So let’s break this puppy wide open!
Breaking Down The BlockBuster
Yes, the Rams gave up a lot in this trade when it comes to first-round picks. But if we get past the initial shock of the trade, ask yourself, “Is it really that much?”.
The Rams are usually a playoff-contending team but they don’t normally get the advantage of picking early in the first round of the playoffs. To some extent, they treat the first-round pick in the same way the New England Patriots have at times. My guess is that they feel that this move for Stafford will boost them into consistent playoff-contention, therefore devaluing the worth of the first-rounders for the team. It’s a bold strategy, to say the least, but that’s just my opinion.
What the Rams do get in Stafford though, is a veteran QB with just two years left on his contract worth $43 million dollars total. That’s just $21.5 a year. Goff on the other hand is only on the hook for the Rams salary cap for the 2021 season, with a $22.2 dead cap hit in his wake instead of a $64.2 million dollar dead cap hit had the Rams decided to cut him.
Not only that, but the Rams get a better passer that should allow them to be even more dynamic in the passing game to go with their stout defense – which finished 1st overall for the 2020 season – and a budding rushing attack that will likely be headed by the soon to be 2nd year back Cam Akers.
Not to mention the passing weapons that will be at Stafford’s disposal in Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson, and Tyler Higbee. Stafford has a real opportunity to create a strong impression next season by matching his arm talent with superior head coaching coming from Sean McVay.
To put it frankly, Matthew Stafford is going to be a problem with the Rams. I’d wager to say even moreso than Jared Goff while he was with the team.
During the time Goff was drafted to the Rams in 2016, Stafford’s passer rate was 96 compared to Goff’s 91.5. Stafford still managed to throw for more yards and touchdowns than Goff in the same span, beating him in both categories 19,133 to 18,171 and 119 TDs to 107 TDs. Mind you, that’s with Stafford missing 8 games in the 2019 season. According to FantasyFootballCalculator.com, Stafford’s ADP currently sits at 10.06.
Don’t Count Jared Goff Out Just Yet
Let’s be real… This isn’t one of the better landing spots for Jared Goff. Shocker, I know. It’s not complete doom and gloom for the Quarterback.
Goff heads into a rebuilding Lions organization that will look to retain Kenny Golladay as the lead WR on the team. Marvin Jones and Tight End T.J. Hockenson are also viable pass-catching options in the Lions offense and Running Back D’Andre Swift will be the lead back next season. Swift especially, showed promise once he received the bulk of the carries in the Lions running attack down the stretch.
Goff will need to be put in position by the new coaching staff to score points though. Despite being armed with weapons with the Rams, he only has two seasons over 25 passing touchdowns in his career so far.
Not known for being a touchdown maven, Goff has been able to pass for over 3,500 yards the last 4 years as a starter with a completion percentage of 63.4, just two points lower than Stafford since 2016. That’s nothing to sneeze at. This could also be the perfect opportunity to show the NFL world that he’s a capable Quarterback without the magician, Sean McVay, in his ear guiding him.
Jared Goff’s current fantasy value is currently sitting in the fantasy nether realm with the change in scenery to Detroit. His ADP lands him outside of the 15th round in 12 team leagues, so if your strategy is to wait on Quarterbacks then this might be up your alley. His ADP could see a slight bump but realistically with some of the new blood coming in from this year’s draft, it’s more likely that it stays in that area.
But hear what I’m not saying. Goff could still be a valuable QB for fantasy football that you can find later in the draft. It all depends on how things shake out with the Lions moving forward. And don’t forget, the Lions could bring in more weapons with that 7th overall pick this year too.
