Former GM says Rams tried to trade Stafford in offseason

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Former NFL GM says Rams tried to trade Matthew Stafford in offseason

By Clark Dalton | Last updated 7/9/23

Although Matthew Stafford led the Rams to their second Super Bowl title in 2022, Los Angeles reportedly placed the quarterback on the trading block after it fell off the mountaintop last season.

"During this offseason, when his option bonus was about to kick in, they attempted to trade him with a lot of effort — any team could've had him," former NFL GM Michael Lombardi recently said on "The Pat McAfee Show." "The problem was you had to absorb the $59M."

"Before his option bonus was kicking in the Rams attempted with a lot of effort to move Matthew Stafford..

Any team could've had him but you had to absorb the $59M" ~ @mlombardiNFL #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/uDQ5NTve5Q
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) July 7, 2023

The Rams trading a player who was an integral piece during a championship run may seem surprising, but it's not a complete shock after the QB's performance declined last season.

In nine games, he went 3-6 as a starter, threw 10 TDs, eight interceptions and posted an 87.4 passer rating. The 35-year-old suffered a season-ending spinal cord contusion against the Saints in Week 11.

Stafford's entering the twilight of his career and may not be a player who can carry a team to a championship. The Rams using him as a trade piece makes some sense.

Los Angeles went 5-12 last season — the worst record for a defending Super Bowl champion in league history — and needs draft picks to re-stock the roster.

Plus, Los Angeles ranks 17th in cap space ($13.025M) via Spotrac. Stafford has the team's second-largest cap hit ($20M) behind DT Aaron Donald ($26M).

Nonetheless, Stafford remains in Los Angeles, and Rams GM Les Snead explained that the QB will be critical in helping the team rebound this season.

"I think we'll definitely rely on Matthew. He's one of our pillars," Snead said, per Jordan Rodrigue of The Athletic. "He's definitely someone we're going to rely on, (who) we're gonna have to rely on as we remodel this."

Yet Stafford's future in Los Angeles could be a question. It'll be interesting to see if it develops into a storyline if the Rams struggle again.

More must-reads: