The Detroit Lions narrowly won against the Los Angeles Rams in overtime, 26-20, on September 8 at Ford Field. This marked Stafford’s second time playing in Detroit with the Rams. With the season still early, one NFL analyst suggests the Rams consider a “major Matthew Stafford trade” if the 2024 season begins to fall apart.
No Hard Feelings if Rams and Stafford Split
In a September 10 piece for Ramblin’ Fan, Lou Scataglia notes that “the Rams are already dealing with significant injuries, and reminders of 2022 are resurfacing.”
“The Rams achieved their goal by acquiring Matthew Stafford, so any future success is just extra,” Scataglia wrote. “They traded for him to win a Super Bowl, which they did. But they knew he wasn’t a long-term solution due to his age. So, if the 2024 season is a bust, the Rams should explore whether a contender could trade for Stafford.”
Scataglia also suggested that this trade could be historic, and “the Rams might be doing Stafford a favor” if they part ways in a lost season.
He added, “There shouldn’t be any animosity when the time comes for the Rams and Stafford to separate, and a 2024 trade deadline move is one possibility.”
Scataglia further explained that Stafford is in the “final stages” of his career and may be thinking about retirement soon, given his family life.
The idea of Stafford being traded isn’t new. In a September 5 article about potential 2025 landing spots for Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox suggested Prescott could be a fit for the Rams in 2025. Knox highlighted that Stafford’s contract could become interesting after this season, as restructuring in July removed his 2025 guarantees in exchange for more upfront money.
Matthew Stafford Reflects on His Return to Ford Field
After the Rams’ loss to the Lions in the season opener, Stafford was asked about playing at Ford Field again. Despite being booed, he had a positive outlook.
“The atmosphere was great,” he commented. “It was a fun place to play, and the crowd was really into it. It was a great football game with a lot of back-and-forth, which definitely got the crowd excited. Overall, it was a good atmosphere.”
