When the 2021 NFL season begins, both the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Rams will have a new starting quarterback taking snaps for their team.
That, of course, is because the Lions traded Matthew Stafford to the Rams for Jared Goff for a trio of draft picks.
Both Stafford and Goff made the top 10 of a recent list which ranks the top No. 1 overall picks of the 21st century with Stafford coming in at No. 7 and Goff coming in at No. 9.
Here is what Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports has to say about Stafford and Goff.
7. QB Matthew Stafford
Stafford will could very well move into the top-five by the time his career is over. The longtime Lion who was traded to the Rams this offseason, Stafford is currently 16th all-time in career passing yards and passing touchdowns. And while his sub .500 record as a starter leaves something to be desired, Stafford will have chance to play for a perennial winner in Los Angeles.
While he is often overlooked by the other great quarterbacks of this era, Stafford has enjoyed a prolific run in Detroit. A Pro Bowler in 2014, Stafford averaged 4,466 passing yards and 27 touchdown passes per season from 2011-18. He didn’t miss a single start during that stretch while helping the Lions advance to the postseason in 2011, 2014 and in 2016.
9. QB Jared Goff
Goff has developed into a quality franchise quarterback for a perennially contending team. After enduing a rocky rookie season that saw him fail to win any of his seven starts, Goff flourished Sean McVay, who joined the Rams prior to Goff’s second season. During his second and third seasons, Goff completed nearly 64% of his passes while averaging 4,246 passing yards per season. He also threw 60 touchdowns against just 19 interceptions while posting a 26-9 record as a starter. Goff’s performance during the 2018 playoffs helped the Rams advance to Super Bowl LIII, where they managed to score just three points in a loss to the Patriots.
Despite helping lead the Rams to the playoffs in 2020, Los Angeles traded Goff to the Lions (in exchange for Stafford and several draft picks) this offseason. How well Goff does in his new surroundings will determine if Goff can move further up this list.
