It has been heavily rumored that the Los Angeles Rams will move on from Super Bowl-winner Matthew Stafford this offseason. Now there appears to be some real fire behind all that smoke, as Tom Pelissero has reported that the team has granted permission for Stafford's agent to explore a trade elsewhere. While Stafford hasn't requested a trade and would still love to return to L.A., the Rams clearly aren't wild about meeting his asking price moving forward, and now the QB can see what the market might bear elsewhere.
With the news the Rams are also seeking to trade Cooper Kupp and now Stafford, it sure seems like the team is seeking to get younger and reinvent themselves. Boy, it sure would be special if this duo ended up staying together, especially after the record-breaking 2021 campaign Kupp put up. The 37-year-old quarterback may only have one or two years left, but he still has plenty of juice left in the tank. Here are three teams that could trade for the star signal caller.
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
This is the most obvious destination for Stafford. If you're Art Rooney, why wouldn't you at least give the Rams a call? He is clearly better than both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, and without a shadow of a doubt, better than a backup option like Daniel Jones, if those murmurs are true. As we all know by now, the Steelers dropped their last six games, mainly due to subpar play on offense. And it seems like the team is one spark away from catching fire, between the mix of personalities in the locker room, T.J. Watt's contract situation, and pent-up frustration from stagnating in the same way nearly every year.
Making the trade for someone like Stafford would not only solidify the quarterback position but show everyone that the front office is really bought into bringing the Lombardi back to Pittsburgh. The Steelers could go from having a revolving door at the position to having one of the best in the league.
2. Indianapolis Colts
By year three of Anthony Richardson, the Colts are starting to realize he might not be their franchise savior like they hoped. He is fun to watch; he has special arm talent, can make plays on the ground, and tries to run over people. But availability is a problem, and his accuracy has proven to be a liability. The Colts have struggled to find someone at the position since Andre Luck prematurely ended his career, bringing in all manner of veteran quarterbacks from Carson Wentz to Phillip Rivers to Matt Ryan to even Joe Flacco this past season. But Stafford could be the one that finally works out.
The Colts are talented across the board but lack consistency at the most important position on the field. Stafford can provide that. From 2012-2018, he did not miss a single game for the Detroit Lions. Age has dinged that somewhat, but he remains a gamer in every sense of the word as well as one of the league's premier floor- and ceiling-raisers.
3. Cleveland Browns
This is maybe a long shot. But if the Browns don't want Myles Garrett to leave, they need to make a move that shows him they are committed to winning and winning now. They have to turn the page on Deshaun Watson, who has caused nothing but aches and pains for Cleveland since he arrived. And while the Browns have the No. 2 overall pick, one that could be used to draft a rookie signal caller, may I remind you quarterback draft history has not been favorable to the Browns?
The Browns could instead trade for Stafford and Kupp. They may be a package anyway, and would bring two proven winners to town at positions of need. This move could convince Garrett to stay, and the Browns in turn could use the No. 2 overall pick to select a special talent like Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter.