What does the Stafford Trade Mean for the Vikings?

[StumpHunter]

The Lions are sending a guy who never really scared me as a Vikings' fan and who they locked up a ton of cap in each season to the Rams for 2 future 1st round picks and Jared Goff. To me, this feels like a big win for the Lions who will have a QB on a reasonable contract for the next 3 seasons following 2021 (if they want to keep him) who statistically is a little better than Stafford, but who is also realistically a slight downgrade from the guy overall.

It is a big change in the division and I am curious what everyone thinks about it.

[RandyMoss84]

The Lions are sending a guy who never really scared me as a Vikings' fan and who they locked up a ton of cap in each season to the Rams for 2 future 1st round picks and Jared Goff. To me, this feels like a big win for the Lions who will have a QB on a reasonable contract for the next 3 seasons following 2021 (if they want to keep him) who statistically is a little better than Stafford, but who is also realistically a slight downgrade from the guy overall.

It is a big change in the division and I am curious what everyone thinks about it.

Sure it is a big win for the Lions but I am not worried about it since Goff sucks and Lions usually draft busts

[Cliff]

I'm interested more than anything. Stafford is going to a team that doesn't seem doomed. Its hard to know what a players potential really is on the Lions.

That said, I've always been less than impressed with Stafford. I'm super surprised he brought a 3rd and 2 1st round picks.

[Maelstrom88]

The Lions are set up very well in about 3 years IF they draft well. They got a steal here and it speaks well of the new administration. The Rams gave up two firsts to get Goff and 2 firsts to get rid of Goff. He's a 4 first round pick QB Stafford is an upgrade but I'm not sure by how much. Their defense got gashed vs. GB so I'm not sold on them either. They may not be the best team in their division let alone the league and all those thin drafts will catch up with them. They are 33 million over the cap I believe, their LT is ancient, and I heard their LG is set to be a free agent.

[DiehardVF1]

We should stay focused on what the Vikes can trade for Cousins. As long as we have him we are doomed to miss the playoffs and watch other teams on TV.

[Maelstrom88]

We should stay focused on what the Vikes can trade for Cousins. As long as we have him we are doomed to miss the playoffs and watch other teams on TV.

Don't they owe him like 45 million coming up? They would likely have to throw on two firsts and a third like the Rams to get someone to take him and eat that salary.

[StumpHunter]

The Lions are set up very well in about 3 years IF they draft well. They got a steal here and it speaks well of the new administration. The Rams gave up two firsts to get Goff and 2 firsts to get rid of Goff. He's a 4 first round pick QB Stafford is an upgrade but I'm not sure by how much. Their defense got gashed vs. GB so I'm not sold on them either. They may not be the best team in their division let alone the league and all those thin drafts will catch up with them. They are 33 million over the cap I believe, their LT is ancient, and I heard their LG is set to be a free agent.

You would think the 9ers fans would be all over trading for Cousins, especially since they were wanting to give up a ton for Stafford before he went to the Rams and Cousins is arguably a better QB and fits Shannahan's system well.

Emphatic no's from every 9er board I have suggested it on. Guys who were pounding the table for Stafford don't even want to give up a 2nd for Cousins. Kind of embarrassing that we are going to pay 76 million over 2 years for a QB no other fanbase wants for 56 million over 2.

[J. Kapp 11]

I’m concerned about all the high draft picks the Lions have accumulated.

I’m concerned about Dan Campbell. The media thinks his hire is a joke, but he’s managed to snag Anthony Lynn and Duce Staley for his staff. Apparently Campbell is well-respected.

I’m concerned that the Detroit Lions — yes, the stupid Kitties — might actually be good in a couple of years.

Meanwhile we stick to the same outdated ideas and 1990s modes of operation we’ve been dealing with for the past 7 years. We have no cap space, a quarterback whose cap hit will be second-highest in the league in 2022, no second-round pick because we panicked (again) at Danielle Hunter’s “tweak” to his neck, and holes all over the roster.

There is a very real possibility that we will BE the Lions very soon.

[RandyMoss84]

I’m concerned about all the high draft picks the Lions have accumulated.

I’m concerned about Dan Campbell. The media thinks his hire is a joke, but he’s managed to snag Anthony Lynn and Duce Staley for his staff. Apparently Campbell is well-respected.

I’m concerned that the Detroit Lions — yes, the stupid Kitties — might actually be good in a couple of years.

Meanwhile we stick to the same outdated ideas and 1990s modes of operation we’ve been dealing with for the past 7 years. We have no cap space, a quarterback whose cap hit will be second-highest in the league in 2022, no second-round pick because we panicked (again) at Danielle Hunter’s “tweak” to his neck, and holes all over the roster.

There is a very real possibility that we will BE the Lions very soon.

That will be a good thing meaning that Zimmer and Speilman will be fired

[Maelstrom88]

I’m concerned about all the high draft picks the Lions have accumulated.

I’m concerned about Dan Campbell. The media thinks his hire is a joke, but he’s managed to snag Anthony Lynn and Duce Staley for his staff. Apparently Campbell is well-respected.

I’m concerned that the Detroit Lions — yes, the stupid Kitties — might actually be good in a couple of years.

Meanwhile we stick to the same outdated ideas and 1990s modes of operation we’ve been dealing with for the past 7 years. We have no cap space, a quarterback whose cap hit will be second-highest in the league in 2022, no second-round pick because we panicked (again) at Danielle Hunter’s “tweak” to his neck, and holes all over the roster.

There is a very real possibility that we will BE the Lions very soon.

That will be a good thing meaning that Zimmer and Speilman will be fired

Just sucks that it had to get to that point for ownership to understand.

[RandyMoss84]

That will be a good thing meaning that Zimmer and Speilman will be fired

Just sucks that it had to get to that point for ownership to understand.

Unfortanely!

[CharVike]

The Lions are set up very well in about 3 years IF they draft well. They got a steal here and it speaks well of the new administration. The Rams gave up two firsts to get Goff and 2 firsts to get rid of Goff. He's a 4 first round pick QB Stafford is an upgrade but I'm not sure by how much. Their defense got gashed vs. GB so I'm not sold on them either. They may not be the best team in their division let alone the league and all those thin drafts will catch up with them. They are 33 million over the cap I believe, their LT is ancient, and I heard their LG is set to be a free agent.

You would think the 9ers fans would be all over trading for Cousins, especially since they were wanting to give up a ton for Stafford before he went to the Rams and Cousins is arguably a better QB and fits Shannahan's system well.

Emphatic no's from every 9er board I have suggested it on. Guys who were pounding the table for Stafford don't even want to give up a 2nd for Cousins. Kind of embarrassing that we are going to pay 76 million over 2 years for a QB no other fanbase wants for 56 million over 2.

Any fan base that is pounding the table for Stafford don't understand football very well. Some act like no team pays money to starting QBs. Wilson gets a ton and threw a home playoff game away to the Rams. Are the fans happy with that give away? Maybe they are. Did they like the loss to the Pack the year before? Maybe they did. And he's considered good. But he's not cheap. The only way to get a cheap starter that can play good is a rookie deal. That guy will be the first pick this year. Maybe he will bust and then it's back to square one. Maybe he'll be a HOFer and then they are golden. Nobody knows. The guy from the tide looks like the true winner of this bunch.

[Texas Vike]

I've heard Rams fans say that McVay was able to scheme in such a way as to hide Goff's shortcomings. Apparently, there are lots of folks who think Stafford is ultra elite, and the pieces around him in Detroit kept him from excelling. I find both of those positions to be questionable, so I'm intrigued to see how this plays out.

I'm spooked by all of the picks that Detroit has and the thought that they were brave enough to scrap their coach a GM and embrace a full on rebuild... while we piss into the wind acting like all is groovy.

[StumpHunter]

You would think the 9ers fans would be all over trading for Cousins, especially since they were wanting to give up a ton for Stafford before he went to the Rams and Cousins is arguably a better QB and fits Shannahan's system well.

Emphatic no's from every 9er board I have suggested it on. Guys who were pounding the table for Stafford don't even want to give up a 2nd for Cousins. Kind of embarrassing that we are going to pay 76 million over 2 years for a QB no other fanbase wants for 56 million over 2.

Any fan base that is pounding the table for Stafford don't understand football very well. Some act like no team pays money to starting QBs. Wilson gets a ton and threw a home playoff game away to the Rams. Are the fans happy with that give away? Maybe they are. Did they like the loss to the Pack the year before? Maybe they did. And he's considered good. But he's not cheap. The only way to get a cheap starter that can play good is a rookie deal. That guy will be the first pick this year. Maybe he will bust and then it's back to square one. Maybe he'll be a HOFer and then they are golden. Nobody knows. The guy from the tide looks like the true winner of this bunch.

Your dislike of a guy who consistently gets his team to the playoffs by hiding a good deal of his team's flaws and who is 9-7 in those playoff games is bizarre. He is 2nd or 1st in almost every non-volume passing stat all time. He will be in the HOF and will end up in discussion for top 10 greatest QBs of all time when he retires.

[StumpHunter]

I've heard Rams fans say that McVay was able to scheme in such a way as to hide Goff's shortcomings. Apparently, there are lots of folks who think Stafford is ultra elite, and the pieces around him in Detroit kept him from excelling. I find both of those positions to be questionable, so I'm intrigued to see how this plays out.

I'm spooked by all of the picks that Detroit has and the thought that they were brave enough to scrap their coach a GM and embrace a full on rebuild... while we piss into the wind acting like all is groovy.

This is absolutely true, just like we have to scheme to hide Cousins' shortcomings and McVay will have to scheme to hide Stafford's. Stafford had weapons on offense he just rarely had a defense and he wasn't good enough to get his offense to the point where that didn't matter.

That being said, I think a great run game could do wonders for Stafford and the Rams could be a top 5 offense for the first time in Stafford's career (they have only been better than 10th once at 6th in the NFL). They might even be able to get back to 3rd best like they were in 2018 with Goff, but I doubt it. Kupp and Woods are solid but would not be the best WRs Stafford has worked with and that Ram's run game is only okay.