Super Bowl champion quarterback Matthew Stafford may have played his last game with the Los Angeles Rams, as the team has allowed him to seek a trade. Originally acquired before the 2021 season, Stafford guided the Rams to a Super Bowl during his first year under center and led them to the playoffs in three of his four seasons with the club. However, the quarterback is on the older side and seems to be playing on a year-to-year basis and the Rams might be looking for a cheaper option at the position.
Recent reports indicate the Rams want to receive a first-round pick in a Matthew Stafford trade, although Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal notes that the price could drop if the acquiring team takes on a higher percentage of the quarterback’s contract. While nothing is imminent, Bonsignore goes on to note that minority owner Tom Brady could make the Raiders an attractive landing spot for both Stafford and free agents across the league.
Something to keep an eye on, per sources: the persuasiveness of Tom Brady as a recruiter for the @Raiders. It will make things interesting during free agency. And maybe even in the trade market. It's why you can't rule out Matthew Stafford as an option.
— Vincent Bonsignore (@VinnyBonsignore) February 23, 2025
REPORT: Rams, Raiders Linked In Matthew Stafford Trade Talks
The Las Vegas Raiders have one of the weakest rosters in football, so trading for a 37-year-old quarterback might not make sense on a surface level. However, a deeper dive shows why this pairing could work. As mentioned above, Tom Brady’s presence will make the Raiders an attractive destination for free agents, and the team has over $99 million in cap space. While completely rebuilding a roster overnight is no easy task, the team has the financial resources to sign just about any free agent out there.
Additionally, first-year head coach Pete Carroll will likely push for the team to build a roster that can immediately compete. The longtime Seahawks head coach is 73 years old and is no spring chicken, so he won’t want to sit around for a long, arduous rebuild. Giving up the sixth-overall pick for Matthew Stafford will never happen, but the Raiders could probably convince the Rams to trade him for their second-round pick. If that happens, Vegas can address the game’s most important position while still being aggressive in free agency.
The Washington Commanders underwent a similar turnaround last year. After replacing Sam Howell with Jayden Daniels and Ron Rivera with Dan Quinn, the team went from a 4-13 record in 2023 to an NFC Championship appearance in 2024. Nobody should expect that type of turnaround for the Raiders, but it shows that such transformations are possible. While the Raiders could use the Rams quarterback, they won’t be the only ones interested in a Matthew Stafford trade.
Other Fits
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been treading water ever since Ben Roethlisberger suffered his season-ending elbow injury in 2019. While Mike Tomlin is good enough to get this team to the playoffs, he needs a better quarterback to finally win in the postseason. Russell Wilson and Justin Fields couldn’t get the job done last year, and with both quarterbacks set to hit the open market, Pittsburgh could upgrade the position with a Matthew Stafford trade. Stafford was the missing piece for the Rams in 2021, so perhaps history can repeat itself in the Steel City.
The New York Giants hold the third-overall pick in what is a terrible quarterback draft class. Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders are the only players receiving top-five buzz, and if the Giants aren’t in love with either player, they could discuss a Matthew Stafford trade with the Rams. Head coach Brian Daboll must win games in 2025 to save his job, so he shouldn’t care too much about Stafford’s advanced age.
Main Photo: Bill Streicher – Imagn Images
