The first significant decision of the NFL offseason involved what the Los Angeles Rams would do with starting quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Los Angeles permitted Stafford to seek a trade. After meetings at this week’s NFL Combine, the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders were the most prominent players for the 37-year-old quarterback.
On Wednesday, Jordan Schultz of Fox reported that current Raiders minority owner Tom Brady met with Stafford at Brady’s home in Montana.
While Brady has only a small stake in the Raiders, he has primarily influenced their football decisions this offseason. He was the driving force behind the pursuit of Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as the team’s next head coach.
Unfortunately, Johnson chose the Chicago Bears job, so the Raiders hired Pete Caroll. Although Brady might have lost out on his top head coaching candidate, it didn’t seem like he would miss out on his future quarterback.
The Raiders Miss Out on Stafford
A seven-time Super Bowl champion, Brady knows how to win at the highest level, but he has again fallen short in pursuing one of his top targets.
On Friday afternoon, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported, “Rams and Matthew Stafford reached an agreement on a restructured deal that keeps him in Los Angeles and quashes any and all trade speculation.”
The Raiders are no longer in the running for Matthew Stafford; they are now focusing on free agency or the draft to find their future signal caller. Las Vegas has been linked to veteran quarterbacks such as Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, and Russell Wilson in the open market.
Las Vegas will sign a veteran free-agent quarterback to start a handful of games this season. However, the Raiders must find their future signal caller in this year’s draft. Last year, the Raiders held the No. 13 pick and were going to draft a quarterback.
Las Vegas Misses Out on a 2024 QB
The 2024 quarterback class included standout names such as Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy, and Bo Nix.
As the draft night progressed, Las Vegas attempted to move up the board, even seeking to jump in front of another team that needed a quarterback to grab their own. Nobody was willing to work a trade, and the Raiders secured Georgia tight end Brock Bowers.
Bowers was no consolation prize; he was one of the best tight ends in the NFL, recording 112 receptions for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns.
Las Vegas holds the No. 6 pick in this year’s NFL Draft, which is a significant problem. Only two quarterbacks are considered worthy of a first-round selection: Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Sheduer Sanders. The Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns hold the No. 1 and 2 picks, and both need a quarterback.
There was some speculation at the NFL Combine that the Titans could move out of the first pick since they have several needs to address. Tennessee hired new general manager Mike Borgonzi this offseason; his job won’t be in jeopardy if he doesn’t find his future quarterback this year.
The Bills Could Help Las Vegas Out
If the Raiders want to move up, trading the sixth pick for the first selection will require many draft assets. Las Vegas must trade a 2026 first-rounder and a few Day 2 and 3 picks to make a deal work. Giving up tons of draft capital is challenging since the Raiders lack depth. However, they might consider trading one of their star players to acquire additional assets.
Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby has been mentioned in trade talks this offseason. Although he has not requested a trade, Crosby could be moved this offseason, given the franchise’s direction.
Recent trades involving top pass rushers suggest that if the Las Vegas Raiders decide to trade Maxx Crosby, they could command a significant return: two first-round picks, a Day 2 pick, and two Day 3 picks.
This would allow the Raiders to regain some of the draft assets they lost when moving to the No. 1 pick. If the Raiders do choose to trade Crosby, the Buffalo Bills could be a potential suitor. Buffalo needs to upgrade its defensive line this offseason, and acquiring one of the league’s best pass rushers would be great.
Meanwhile, Cleveland Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett recently requested a trade, even though general manager Andrew Berry said the team does not intend to move him.
Although Berry doesn’t want to trade Garrett, it will happen eventually. When the Browns decide to part ways with their 29-year-old pass rusher, the Bills will be players for him.
Buffalo Fans Should Root for the Raiders to Trade
Buffalo won’t be the favorite to land Garrett since they don’t have significant assets, but if Crosby is also on the market, missing out on Garrett won’t be an issue.
Crosby isn’t as talented as Garrett, which means there’s a chance fewer teams will try to trade for him. While we can expect a handful of teams to go after Garrett, some teams who are genuinely Super Bowl contenders might only go after Crosby. If teams like the Bills, Lions, Chiefs, and Commanders want Crosby, Buffalo will only have to outbid a handful of them.
Bills fans should hope that the Raiders move up in this year’s draft and use Crosby in a trade to acquire the draft capital they will lose by moving up.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Matthew Stafford’s Return to the Rams Could Significantly Benefit the Bills appeared first on Heavy Sports.