The Matthew Stafford sweepstakes is heating up. After the Los Angeles Rams reportedly allowed the veteran quarterback’s agent to talk to teams, the list of suitors has grown from hypothetical names to potential partners.
Sports Illustrated‘s Albert Breer reported Monday that at least four teams have expressed interest in trading for Stafford:
“The teams you’d suspect would have their hat in the ring have, indeed, thrown their hats in the ring. The New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Las Vegas Raiders and others have shown interest.”
This is a similar list to the one Rams Wire recently curated, as all four teams need a quarterback.
The Giants are vehemently interested in adding a passer this offseason, which could be tough with the No. 3 pick and only two first-round quarterbacks. The Browns have a good roster but no true plan at the position with Deshaun Watson’s bad play and torn Achilles. The Steelers saw limited success with Russell Wilson and are looking for an upgrade to their playoff-caliber team. The Raiders, similarly to the Giants, want a quarterback badly but will need to manufacture a scenario where they land one.
As for these “others” it could be any number of teams that either need a quarterback or want an upgrade. Other names that have been floated are the Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets.
While a lot of former NFL players don’t believe Stafford will ultimately be dealt, the move could have huge ramifications for the Rams and the rest of the NFL. The Rams don’t have a clear heir to Stafford’s position with Jimmy Garoppolo set to be a free agent and the No. 26 pick.
This is a critical moment in Sean McVay and Les Sneads reign in L.A.