Schefter: ‘No Way In Hell’ Giants Are Trading No. 3 Pick For Matthew Stafford

Adam Schefter spoke to Pat Leonard about recent rumors from Colin Cowherd that the Rams would trade QB Matthew Stafford to the Giants for the third overall pick in the draft and then attempt to sign QB Aaron Rodgers.

Schefter said the Rams’ “first priority” is getting an extension done with Stafford and will only look to move him if they can’t do so. He then added that the Giants would not be giving up their draft pick in exchange for the veteran quarterback.

“Let me be very clear: That pick is not in the conversation if Matthew Stafford and the Rams can’t get a deal worked out, and if Matthew Stafford becomes available and all of a sudden the Giants surface as a contender. If all those things happen – and they could – if all those things happen, there is no way in hell that the Giants are giving up the third overall pick for Matthew Stafford. Zero,” Schefter told Leonard.

“I think they’re committed to trying to work something out,” Schefter continued. “But it doesn’t mean that they actually will work something out, and that’s where Giants fans and people around the Tr-State New York area are getting curious and interested. Because if – if – they don’t get it worked out, then, obviously, the Giants become an option.”

While the Rams are hopeful they can get a deal done with Stafford, Schefter notes that anything is possible after Stafford and the team’s negotiations from last year lingered on for several months until the start of training camp. It seems for now that the upcoming NFL Combine could serve as a bit of a soft deadline so both sides can plan for 2025. 

“I think the Rams have sensed and believed that they think they can get it worked out. Doesn’t mean they will,” Schefter commented. “But if they can, then all this talk about Chad Hall and Matthew Stafford and New York doesn’t mean anything. If they don’t get it worked out, well, then we’ve got something to talk about leading into the combine and the start of the new league year and I would think we have an answer to that sooner rather than later because the Rams have to get clarity because they have to know, ‘OK, are we getting a deal done with Matthew Stafford and if not, then what are we doing about this particular situation?’ But I think their first priority, their interest is in re-signing Matthew and I think Matthew would like to be back in L.A., but the Rams have a price, Matthew has a price, and can they meet in a common ground and work it out, or not?”

Stafford’s situation is one teams around the league are monitoring as the start of the new league year in March draws closer. There are varying reports about how likely it is the veteran actually becomes available. Last week, Dan Graziano of ESPN reported Stafford is expected to return to the Rams next season. 

Yet others, like Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer and NFL Media’s Gregg Rosenthal, seem more skeptical. Breer expects Stafford’s return will hinge on how much the quarterback wants in his next deal and whether he can commit to playing past 2025. Rosenthal went so far as to tweet Stafford is “way more likely than not to be gone.” Rosenthal isn’t a news reporter but he does content for NFL Media in Los Angeles, including a regular show with the Athletic’s Rams beat reporter Jourdan Rodrigue, so he’s plugged into at least some degree. 

Rams GM Les Snead was asked at the end of the season if the Rams would consider trading Stafford and he didn’t say no. 

“[I]t’ll take someone calling or us reaching out if we want to do that,” Snead said via Pro Football Talk. “Those are the things that’ll be determined down the road here.”

Stafford, 37, is a former first-round pick of the Lions, who took him with the No. 1 overall pick out of Georgia in 2009. He was in the final year of a five-year, $76.5 million contract when he and the Lions agreed to a five-year, $135 million extension back in 2017.

Stafford was involved in a blockbuster trade that sent him to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for QB Jared Goff and draft picks in 2021. He signed a four-year extension worth $160 million that included $135 million guaranteed a year later. 

He’s due a base salary of $31 million in 2024, all of which is guaranteed. Stafford is due $32 and $31 million in the final two years of his deal. 

In 2024, Stafford appeared in 16 games for the Rams and threw for 3,762 yards while completing 65.8 percent of his passes for 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

We’ll have more on Stafford and the Rams as the news is available.