Former Lions QB Matthew Stafford at the Center of ‘Shocking’ Trade Buzz

Former Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has been one of the frequent names that’s popped up when it comes to chatter surrounding the November 5 NFL deadline, and that doesn’t seem to be changing.

Now, Stafford is at the heart of a “shocking” trade idea that would have the current Los Angeles Rams quarterback mentoring an up-and-coming talent to take his place.

Benched Quarterback Could Come in to Replace Matthew Stafford

Nobody in the Carolina Panthers‘ camp is happy about the situation with Bryce Young, the benched former first-rounder. Young likely wants the opportunity to play again, and the Panthers probably want a fresh start.

“There’s no arguing that Bryce Young has gotten off to one of the worst starts for a young quarterback in NFL history. But if anyone can fix the broken Carolina Panthers signal-caller, it might be Sean McVay,” NFL analyst and expert Dallas Robinson of the Pro Football Network writes in an October 29 feature.

Robinson notes that the Rams “will eventually need a successor for Matthew Stafford, who looks as good as ever in 2024 but will turn 37 years old in February.”

“Young hasn’t come close to delivering on his No. 1 overall draft pick billing, but he’d theoretically get more time to process while working behind Stafford in L.A.,” Robinson added.

He also points out that Young could be affordable and that the Rams would only have to pay him “backup quarterback money” because “Carolina would absorb Young’s prorated bonus earnings as dead money.” The Rams would get Young under contract through 2026 for about $11 million, he adds.

“Four unknown teams reportedly reached out regarding Young’s availability after Carolina benched him heading into Week 3,” Robinson continued. “The Panthers have maintained they won’t trade Young, but teams who want a lottery-ticket quarterback could make attractive offers until the deadline. Carolina is trending toward drafting another QB early in next year’s draft, so they will likely move Young during the offseason if he’s not traded over the next week.”

‘Young Could Use a Change of Scenery’

In a November 1 piece about the possible deal, Ezekiel Trezevant of Sports Illustrated calls the deal a “shocking blockbuster trade.”

Albeit “shocking,” Trezevant writes that he likes the idea.

“Young could use a change of scenery, and the Rams could use a quarterback to learn from veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford and take over once he has moved on,” he stated. “Giving Young the chance to learn from a quarterback like Stafford is a good idea and one the Rams should consider. The move would likely not cost them that much and could pay huge dividends in the future.”

Trezevant also says that the Rams lapping Young up could open up possibilities for Young that he didn’t get to experience because of the problems with the Panthers’ organization.

“Talented quarterbacks do not fall off of trees in the National Football League. However, because of the failures of the Panthers’ organization, that could essentially be the case with Young,” he stated. “The Rams should undoubtedly see what it would cost to trade for Young, as the Rams have a much better situation than the Panthers do.”