Seth Udinski, FISM News

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Two of the NFL’s highest-paid quarterbacks switched teams over the weekend, as the Detroit Lions traded 12-year veteran  Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams for 5-year quarterback Jared Goff and three draft picks.   Both quarterbacks are among the highest paid at their position in the NFL.  Each player was selected first overall in their respective draft class: the Lions took Matthew Stafford first overall in 2009, and the Rams grabbed Jared Goff with the number one pick in 2016.

During his twelve years in Detroit, Stafford was consistently near the top of the league in statistics. He also led the Lions to three playoff appearances during his tenure, which was no small feat for a franchise as ill-fated as Detroit.  In his five season in L.A., Goff led the Rams to two NFC Western Division titles, and took the Rams to the Super Bowl in 2018 for the first time in nearly twenty years.

It is not uncommon for quarterbacks to be traded away in their thirties, as is the case for Matthew Stafford.  Jared Goff’s situation, however, is shocking.  He is 26 years old and entering the prime of his career. He has produced four winning seasons in five years with the Rams, including the Super Bowl appearance.

Many analysts believe the Lions are receiving the better end of the deal by receiving a younger quarterback, two first-round draft picks, and an additional second-round pick . However,the new trend in the NFL is that quarterbacks can play at a high level into their forties, so Matthew Stafford may still have several productive years remaining in his career.

According to NFL sources, the Stafford-Goff transaction may be just the beginning of an off-season full of big-name trades.