The Raiders, Steelers, Giants, and Browns have made their interest known, according to Albert Breer
After his agents gauged interest from other teams during the Super Bowl and this past week and determined he should be making at least $50 million per season, the chances of the Los Angeles Rams trading Matthew Stafford have only increased. This is according to SI’s Albert Breer, who mentioned that there are four teams that have shown interest in Stafford: Giants, Browns, Steelers, and Raiders.
Could the Rams work out a trade to send Stafford to one of these four teams, or a mystery team, in the next week?
The teams you’d suspect would have their hat in the ring have, indeed, thrown their hats in the ring. The New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Las Vegas Raiders and others have shown interest.
Perhaps more important is that Breer says that Stafford’s agents have been talking to teams not just since last week’s news, but since the Super Bowl. And that because of those talks, Stafford’s agents feel he is underpaid.
During the week leading up to Super Bowl LIX, Stafford’s camp got permission from the Rams to talk to other teams—so his reps have already had two weeks to test the market and see who’d be willing to give up trade compensation and a big, new contract to land the 37-year-old star. It’s only steeled belief that, given the changing conditions of quarterback cost, he should be among the nine signal-callers now on deals averaging over $50 million per year.
Stafford is set to make $27 million in cash this year, according to OTC, which ranks 16th in the NFL. A trade would certainly cause his new team to give him a new contract, as trading for him would shift all the leverage to Stafford’s camp.
But by having other teams show interest, Stafford has also increased his leverage with the Rams and L.A. might bite and give him the raise that he’s wanted since last year. So while having trade partners increases the likelihood of a trade, that also increases the likelihood of Stafford winning a negotiation with the Rams and staying in L.A. on a new deal.
If the Rams want a first round pick for Stafford, that could also increase the chances of him not being tradeable. If they’re willing to take less, then he may have played his last game in L.A..
