Matthew Stafford Trade Rumors: Lions Had Multiple Offers with 2 1st-Round Picks

The Los Angeles Rams were reportedly far from the only team interested in Matthew Stafford.

Peter King wrote about the trade that sent Stafford to the Rams and Jared Goff to the Detroit Lions in his latest Football Morning in America column, noting Los Angeles was "not the only team to offer two first-round picks."

King also listed the Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Football Team, Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos as teams that were interested in Stafford but pointed out he is not sure which other club offered multiple first-rounders.

The fact that Stafford was "more keen" on the Rams than the Panthers or Broncos also may have played a role in the trade.

Los Angeles landed Stafford from the Lions in exchange for Goff, two future first-round picks and a third-round selection.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated also reported on what the Lions were offered, noting, "Both Washington and Carolina had offered their first-round picks and then some." Breer also reported the Colts never offered their 2020 first-round pick (21st), while the 49ers and Broncos were not willing to pay the price needed.

It's not particularly surprising Stafford liked the Rams. After all, the NFC West team is in win-now mode with a defense that finished first in the league in yards and points allowed during the 2020 campaign. It also has Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp as talented pass-catchers who can make life easier for Stafford when the offense is on the field.

Consistency at the quarterback position largely held the Rams back in 2020, as Goff threw for 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He also failed to throw for even 200 yards in either of the team's playoff games.

Stafford is someone who has thrown for more than 4,000 yards eight times and could thrive in head coach Sean McVay's offense.

He has also put up those impressive individual numbers while playing for Detroit teams that generally were not among the league's best. It is not a stretch to suggest he will be even more successful on a Rams team that will surround him with plenty of talent and is coming off a playoff appearance.

It was a costly trade for Los Angeles, but the team is also in the middle of a competitive window and may be a quarterback away from becoming a true Super Bowl contender.

It also was apparently competing with a number of other teams, at least one of which was willing to deal multiple first-round picks.