3 Most Likely Matthew Stafford Trades After Wife's Comments
By Chris Schad
Matthew Stafford has had a short but significant tenure with the Los Angeles Rams. Acquired in a trade with the Detroit Lions in 2021, Stafford helped the Rams win their first Super Bowl since 1999 and has provided a steady level of quarterback play over four seasons.
But while Stafford has exceeded expectations, his time in Los Angeles appears to be coming to a close. SI’s Albert Breer hinted earlier this week that Stafford’s potential contract demand of over $50 million per season could put the Rams in a bind and his wife Kelly’s comments on “The Morning After” podcast seem to signal a split is imminent.
It puts Stafford in what will be an active quarterback market this spring. While Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward are considered NFL-ready prospects, the draft class isn’t deep. Sam Darnold also headlines the free agent class but Stafford could be an upgrade over Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, and Jameis Winston.
So where could Stafford end up? Here’s a look at three likely destinations.
1. New York Giants
There are a few things we need to look for when finding a home for Stafford. First, the organization has to be incredibly desperate. The organization also has to have plenty of cap space to handle Stafford’s reported contract demands and they have to be a quarterback away from competing for a title.
The Giants have two out of the three factors. Brian Daboll and Joe Schenn’s partnership got off to a good start when they picked up a playoff victory in 2022, but signing Daniel Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract has turned into one of the worst moves in franchise history.
New York’s brain trust hit rock bottom the past two seasons as the Giants went 6-11 in 2023 and 3-14 last season. The public relations nightmare of watching Saquon Barkley run wild for the Philadelphia Eagles has also put a dent in the duo’s armor and Giants owner John Mara sternly told reporters that he was running out of patience despite retaining Schenn and Daboll for next season.
Whatever Daboll and Schenn decide to do, the quarterback position has to be a high priority. Jones was released midway through last season but the Giants may not be able to take a quarterback with the third overall pick if the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns take Ward and Sanders with the first two selections.
A stopgap option could also help the Giants but no one on the market would have the accolades of Stafford even as he approaches his age-37 season. This leaves the Giants, who currently have $43.3 million in cap space according to Over The Cap, needing to make a splash and trading for Stafford could be the move – even if it’s a one-year stopgap to select a different quarterback in 2026.