3 Matthew Stafford trade destinations while trade value is highest

Matthew Stafford almost had another game-winning drive in him. But it was a costly sack that stalled the Los Angeles Rams’ drive, ending their playoff run in snowy Lincoln Financial Field with a 28-22 loss to Philadelphia. 

And with the loss comes the never-ending speculation on what happens with Stafford in Los Angeles. Do they run it back as his NFL career enters his twilight years? Or do they see enough trade value to find another signal caller. 

The Rams don’t have to do anything. But if Stafford still wants to play next year, this playoff run and season showed he has some value. And it would be wise for the Rams to make a move sooner rather than later if they want to get younger at the most important position on the field. 

I believe the only way a trade is even being considered is if McVay wants to offload Stafford and plug in Sam Darnold. So we’ll assume with the teams listed below, if a quarterback swap isn’t mentioned, that’s the idea I am rolling with. 

3) The Las Vegas Raiders might not be able to get one of the top two quarterbacks with the No. 6 pick, meaning a trade could be in play

The Raiders need a quarterback more than anything. And with Brock Bowers and the No. 6 pick, they could get another weapon for their quarterback and get in position to contend in the AFC West. 

Stafford showed he can still compete. And with enough weapons, it might work out for him in Las Vegas. I’m sure he doesn’t want to end his career as a bridge quarterback and still believes he can win at least one more championship. 

But that window is closing. And if the Rams decide they don’t want to ride it out with Stafford until he retires, the Raiders could be a good fit. The AFC West is a tough division that features Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Bo Nix. 

The Raiders thought Derek Carr was going to be the quarterback to help them be competitive in the division. Is there a chance Stafford could before he retires? Tom Brady is a minority owner and could be interested in a veteran quarterback if the Raiders feel like they could compete in the AFC over the next two seasons. 

2) The Pittsburgh Steelers have a quarterback problem that Matthew Stafford could solve. 

This feels like a very realistic move for Pittsburgh. They’re probably the most contending team of any team that needs a quarterback. And Stafford showed that unlike Russell Wilson, he can put together winning drives. 

The Steelers lost the last five games and while Wilson didn’t play badly, he just didn’t play well enough. They wouldn’t have that problem with Stafford. Sure he wasn’t able to produce a game-winning drive against Philadelphia. But he’s a lot better in late-game situations than Wilson is. 

Mike Tomlin is under fire for struggling in the postseason, despite never having a losing season and reaching the playoffs three times since 2020. His last playoff win was in 2017. 

Pittsburgh has had a revolving door of quarterbacks over the last five seasons. It’s not an ideal situation, but they’re making it work to an extent. Stafford has a Super Bowl and wins in the playoffs. It may be worth seeing what it would take to get Stafford away from the west coast. 

1) The Minnesota Vikings seem keen on letting Sam Darnold walk so why not insert Matthew Stafford?

The Minnesota Vikings seem like they’re leaning toward letting Sam Darnold go. And the good thing is they have more than enough options to make a good decision. They have Daniel Jones and J.J. McCarthy is already on the roster. 

But if they wanted a new face, Stafford could be a great addition. Stafford would upgrade from Cooper Kupp or Puka Nacua as the No. 1 option to Justin Jefferson. The Vikings can’t afford to regress with McCarthy or Jones under center. 

And while they seem keen on giving one or both of them a chance, Stafford could give McCarthy more time to develop while keeping the Vikings as playoff contenders until he retires. It’s not likely Stafford plays more than a couple seasons. 

If they want to win a championship they need a quarterback like Stafford to do so. Darnold, for as good as he was in the regular season, wasn’t ready for the playoff atmosphere. Before him, Kirk Cousins failed to win a playoff game during his tenure there. 

Kevin O’Connell sounds like he wants McCarthy or Jones to be the guy. But if he has a chance to win a championship in the next year or two, it might be worth looking at Stafford as an immediate replacement for Darnold.