The seismic Matthew Stafford for Jared Goff trade, which will be made official in March, has the NFL buzzing heading into Super Bowl 55.
The Detroit Lions are set to trade Stafford, the former Georgia Bulldog, to the Los Angeles Rams for Goff, two future first-round picks and a third-round pick, according to The Associated Press. The trade can’t be made official until March 17, the start of the new league year.
ESPN first reported the swap, which will include the Rams’ first-round picks in 2022 and 2023, along with their third-round pick this year.
The Falcons have the fourth overall pick in April’s draft. Detroit picks seventh. The Lions could have been trade partners with the Falcons, if they had wanted to move up to select one of the four top quarterback prospects.
Now, with Goff, the Lions will likely to stand pat at 7.
Stafford played for 12 seasons in Detroit after being selected No. 1 overall in 2009. He’ll get a fresh start with the Rams.
Stafford, who’ll turn 33 on Feb. 7, posted a 74-90-1 record with the Lions. He took them to the playoffs three times in 2011, 2014 and 2016. He’s 0-3 in the playoffs.
Credit: JOHN SPINK / AJC
Credit: JOHN SPINK / AJC
Goff, 26, helped to guide the Rams to Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta — won 13-3 by New England.
Now, attention around the league will shift to the big game and Deshaun Watson’s situation in Houston as a back drop.
The former Gainesville High and Clemson star, too, has requested a trade. The Texans have stated they don’t intend to trade him.
With Stafford bringing in such a haul to the Lions, what is Watson’s market value?
Longtime NFL and Houston Texans writer John McClain, of the Houston Chronicle, tweeted that the Texans would want two first-round picks, two second-round picks and two young defensive starters “at least.”
Watson, 25, is under contract. McClain speculated that things should start with the New York Jets.
There are four top quarterbacks in the draft — Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Zach Wilson and Trey Lance — and after the exchange, the Lions nor Rams appear in the market for a young quarterback.
The Falcons are a popular landing spot for Fields or Wilson in several of the early mock drafts.
Jacksonville is projected to take Lawrence No.1. The New York Jets and Miami pick before the Falcons. The Panthers, who pick eighth, and Denver, who pick ninth, could try to trade up in front of the Falcons in order to draft Fields or Wilson. Lance could be available at eight or nine.
New Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said he’ll make sure the team selects the “best player available in the draft.”
Under previous regimes, the Falcons have drafted for need and have missed out on several top players.
“You never want to reach for needs,” Fontenot said recently during his introductory news conference. “It’s cool listening to (former Baltimore general manager) Ozzie Newsome tell stories about where there were certain players on the board at certain areas, and they took the best player available, and he ended up taking a Hall of Fame player as opposed to reaching for a need.”
The Falcons could pick offensive line (Oregon’s Penei Sewell) or defense (Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons) with the fourth overall pick instead of getting an understudy for quarterback Matt Ryan, who has three years remaining on his contract.
Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@
Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@
The Falcons could push the quarterback decision off for two years, when Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler and North Carolina’s Sam Howell are projected to be the top quarterbacks in the draft.
But the Falcons don’t plan to be in the top 10 in the future under new coach Arthur Smith.
“I would say we never want to reach for needs,” Fontenot said. “We want to stack the board. We want to be consistent. It’s never a bad thing to add to a strength. You want to get good football players because it’s a long season. There are a lot of injuries.”
In 2007, the Falcons because they needed a pass rusher drafted defensive end Jamaal Anderson out of Arkansas with the eighth overall pick. Linebacker Patrick Willis (11th), running back Marshawn Lynch (12th) and cornerback Darrelle Revis (14th) went later.
In 2009, the Falcons needed a defensive tackle and selected Peria Jerry with the 24th overall pick. Two picks later, the Green Bay Packers selected linebacker Clay Matthews III.
Recently in 2018, the Falcons, needing a pass rusher, selected Takk McKinley with the 26th overall pick. Four picks later T.J. Watt went to Pittsburgh.
“There are a lot of challenges,” Fontenot said. “You want to, at any position, you want to continue to add competition. You want to get the best players that fit the makeup standard. That fit the physical talent (with the) skill set. We have a clear vision for what they are going to be. You definitely want to the best player available.”
Indianapolis, Washington and San Francisco were among the many teams that had an interest in Stafford, who earned his only Pro Bowl selection in 2014. Goff is a two-time Pro Bowl selection.
Last season, Detroit drafted Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah third overall, passing on quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins) and Justin Herbert (Chargers).
With a veteran quarterback, the Lions can now focus on improving their defense, which set franchise records for points allowed (519) and yards allowed (6,716).
The Lions reportedly had more than six offers for Stafford.
Falcons’ 2021 draft position
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
2. New York Jets
3. Miami Dolphins (via Houston)
4. Falcons
5. Cincinnati Bengals
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