Former Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford could be headed to a new Super Bowl contender.
The NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that the Los Angeles Rams granted Stafford permission to seek a trade, with initial reports indicating that the interest is high in the 37-year-old. That includes an AFC playoff team that some see as a Super Bowl contender with the right quarterback.
Rams Getting High Interest in Matthew Stafford
SI.com’s Albert Breer reported that at least four teams have already “thrown their hat in the ring” for Stafford, including the Pittsburgh Steelers. He noted that the next step is for the Rams to determine how much they’ll ask in return for the quarterback who led them to a Super Bowl win.
“What’s hard to know now, though, is what the Rams would be willing to take to part with Stafford,” Breer wrote. “If it’s a first-round pick, would the aforementioned teams still be willing to do a deal at more than $50 million per year? And if that first-round pick is in the top 10, as is the case with three of the aforementioned four teams, would the Rams be willing to take a 2026 pick instead of one this year? And if not, how in the world do the Rams fix this with Stafford?”
The Steelers could be among the most motivated teams to land Stafford, going into 2025 with no clear path at quarterback as both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are headed to free agency. Curt Popejoy of USA Today’s Steelers Wire noted that the most likely options for the Steelers would be to sign one of the departing veterans, but the third most likely outcome would be trading for Stafford and pairing him with a rookie quarterback who could develop behind Stafford next season.
Popejoy added that there could be other outside options for the Steelers, including journeyman Jameis Winston or a trade up in the NFL draft to land Cam Ward.
The Steelers have made the playoffs in four of the last five seasons and have a roster filled with enough talent to make a deeper playoff run with the right quarterback.
Matthew Stafford Could Stay Put
Some insiders believe Stafford could ultimately stay in Los Angeles, leading a young roster that could contend for another Super Bowl title in 2025. Breer noted that it could be difficult after the Rams balked at giving him a long-term extension and another team potentially willing to put him closer to the market rate of $50 million per year.
“Can the toothpaste go back in the tube after letting a guy look around?” Breer wrote. “Will the Rams be willing to go to a financial level they didn’t before? Or would Aaron Rodgers coming on a cheaper deal (and he may be willing to take one to play in L.A.) or Sean McVay’s ability to maximize, say, Jimmy Garoppolo or Kirk Cousins at a cut rate, appeal to the team when combined with the picks coming back and extra money to spend on the rest of the roster?”
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