Quarterbacks Jared Goff (L) and Matthew Stafford are traded for each other and three future draft picks by the Los Angeles Rams and the Detroit Lions. /CFP
The Detroit Lions are sending their quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for QB Jared Goff and three future draft picks, reported ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The three picks are a third-rounder in 2021, a first-rounder in 2022 and a first-rounder in 2023. According to ESPN, the deal cannot be announced officially until the new league year starts on March 17.
Earlier this month, Brad Holmes, who used to work as the Rams' director of college scouting, became the new general manager of the Lions. Back in 2016, the Rams traded a truck of assets for the first overall pick which brought the team Goff in the draft. The next time the Rams are able to get another top pick won't happen until at least 2024.
Quarterback Jared Goff #16 of the Los Angeles Rams passes the ball in the NFL National Football Conference divisional playoff game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, January 16, 2021. /CFP
The Lions will take over Goff's four-year contract left which is worth $106.6 million. The 26-year-old QB this season threw 3,952 yards and 20 touchdowns but he also allowed 13 interceptions. The Rams made the playoffs as No. 2 from the National Football Conference (NFC) West before they were knocked out by the Green Bay Packers.
Earlier this week, the Rams general manager Les Snead was very ambiguous when asked whether Goff would still be part of the team. "Moving on from Jared Goff, that's ... the money we've invested in him, that's not easy to overcome," said Snead who also added that "anything can be done."
Goff told ESPN's Jeff Darlington that the Lions' head coach Dan Campbell said he will be part of the team's future.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions passes the ball in the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, January 3, 2021. /CFP
32-year-old Stafford still has two years left of his deal which is worth $43 million. Having joined the league in 2009, he is now No. 16 in NFL passing yards (45,109) and passing touchdowns (282), No. 18 in attempts (6,224) and No. 14 in completions (3,898). In average numbers, Stafford is No. 4 in passing yards (273.4) behind Patrick Mahomes, Drew Brees and Andrew Luck, No. 2 in attempts per game (37.7) after Luck and No. 4 in completions (23.6) following Brees, Mahomes and Matt Ryan.
The Lions finished the 2020 season with a 5-11 record. After the last game, Stafford met team president Rod Wood, proposing that trading him might be the best choice for both sides.
This will be the first time for two former first-overall selections to be exchanged in the common draft era since 1967.