What a whirlwind of an offseason it has already been for the Detroit Lions and we are not even to Super Bowl!
On Saturday, the Lions agreed in principle to trade Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Goff, first-round picks in 2022 and 2023, and a third-round pick in 2021.
According to a report from Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the Lions had other offers on the table that they ultimately turned down to take the offer from the Rams.
Here is a breakdown from Breer in terms of the teams who were interested and the teams that made an offer for Stafford.
• Both Washington and Carolina had offered their first-round picks and then some. The Panthers’ first-rounder is eighth (that wound up being the highest pick offered) and their proposal came with a later pick. Washington packaged a third-round pick with the 19th pick.
• The Colts discussed packages of picks and players, but never actually wound up offering their first-rounder, the 21st pick.
• The Niners talked to the Lions in Mobile, but at the time were a little lukewarm and never made an official offer. They’d planned to circle back with Detroit after the weekend, but when things escalated Saturday and the Lions called back, the price had gone beyond what they were willing to offer (in part because they’re fine going forward with Jimmy Garoppolo). My sense is the 12th pick was never going to be offered.
• The Broncos discussed a pick swap with the Lions that would have equated to a late first-round pick, but it wound up becoming clear to Denver that they weren’t playing in the neighborhood where this was going.
• The Patriots and Bears both checked in. New England was willing to package a second-rounder with a player to get Stafford, which, when added to the Patriots’ absence on a list of preferred destinations (something my buddy Tom Curran reported on Sunday) quickly eliminated Bill Belichick & Co. from the chase.
• And finally, late Friday, the Jets checked in. The Lions circled back with New York on Saturday, but talks didn’t go very far.
Nation, do you think the Lions got the best value for Stafford?