The first big move of the offseason happened late Saturday night when the Detroit Lions traded quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams, although it won’t be official until the start of the new league year on March 17.
While the Lions received considerable interest from around the league, the Rams presented an offer that Detroit simply couldn’t refuse. The Lions received a pair of first-round picks, a third-round pick and quarterback Jared Goff.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Bears were among several teams that reportedly offered the Lions more than a first-round pick for Stafford. But, ultimately, Stafford had his sights set on being in California, and the Lions obliged — with more than enough compensation in return.
From a special edition of NFL Now: Breaking down the Matthew Stafford-Jared Goff trade that was several weeks in the making for the #Rams and #Lions. pic.twitter.com/RYz18FqDYZ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 31, 2021
While the Bears didn’t land Stafford, the fact that they’ve been in the discussion for Stafford and even Houston’s Deshaun Watson shows that they’re willing to make a move for a proven quarterback — and give up a considerable amount of compensation to do it.
Quarterback remains arguably the most important need this offseason for Chicago, and there’s no doubt that general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy are going to keep swinging for the fences to find stability at the position — and perhaps save their jobs in the process.
