The most-discussed trade of the NFL offseason is now official, as Matthew Stafford is heading to the Rams and Jared Goff is heading to the Lions.
The Rams and Lions announced the trade this morning, on the second day of the league year. The trade had been agreed to in February.
Both Stafford and Goff were first overall picks in the NFL draft, Stafford in 2009 and Goff in 2016. The Lions never won a playoff game in the Stafford years, and he’s now traded to a team that may be able to contend for a Super Bowl. The Rams got to the Super Bowl with Goff, but he faltered last season and they were eager to get rid of his contract.
The Lions will receive the Rams’ third-round draft pick this year and the Rams’ first-round draft picks in both 2022 and 2023. The Rams think that Stafford may be the last piece of the puzzle for them to win the Super Bowl, whereas the Lions think they’re rebuilding and those future picks will come in handy down the road.