Like many Lions fans, I woke up on Sunday morning to some stunning news. The Lions traded QB Matthew Stafford overnight, shipping him to the Los Angeles Rams for a third-round pick in 2021, first-round picks in 2022 and 2023 and QB Jared Goff.
Here is my honest reaction and thought process as I laid in the haziness of just awakening and scrolled through all the chaos I missed overnight.
My focus is on the picks. The Lions now own five first-round picks in the next three drafts. That’s the only proper way to view the deal through a Lions prism. Detroit can control the 2021 draft and manipulate it via trades however they want. they have the firepower to go and acquire any pick they want, or any player who might be available for multiple first-round picks.
I expect Stafford and the Rams to be successful, at least in 2021, so the 2022 first-rounder from Los Angeles figures to be in the 20s. That screams “trade this pick” to me, and knowing Brad Holmes’ history with the Rams and how they handle first-round picks, I almost expect it to be dealt this year.
For Stafford, it’s a tremendous landing spot. The Rams are a playoff team whose coach and GM each felt was held back by quarterback play, even though Goff led them to a Super Bowl two seasons ago and played remarkably well in the NFC playoff win over the New Orleans Saints along the way. I think we’ll learn quickly if Stafford is capable of winning a playoff game, for those who refuse to judge him under any other prism.
Goff strikes me initially as the starting QB for the Lions in 2021 but nothing certain beyond that. I couldn’t fathom the Lions trading for his contract, so I guess I can’t say it’s impossible Detroit summarily flips him to another team, but I’m prepared to watch Goff in the Honolulu blue and sliver in 2021. He’s the “bridge” to the next generation QB, whether it’s Trey Lance or Justin Fields or Zach Wilson or someone who is still in college (Sam Howell?).
I’m thrilled at the return Holmes extricated on his first real move as the Lions GM. Getting two firsts, a third and a ready-to-roll starting QB who has led his team to the postseason in two of the last three years and whose “bad” year was a 9-7 finish is exciting. The Lions were not going to do better than this deal, period.