The New York Giants seem to be willing to do anything they can to solve their quarterback problem this offseason. Among the many options in front of them is a potential trade for Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford.
The former Super Bowl champion could be on the trade block after hitting a roadblock in contract negotiations with the Rams this offseason. Stafford’s camp reportedly got permission from the Rams to talk to other teams to test the market and see who’d be willing to give up trade compensation and a big, new contract. The Giants are reportedly one of the teams that have at least expressed some interest in making such a deal.
Giants have reportedly shown interest in Matthew Stafford
Sports Illustrated insider Albert Breer recently dove into the Stafford Saga, sharing insight on what is going down behind the scenes. He reported that the two sides “could be heading for break-up” and gave a list of teams that have already expressed their interest in trading for Stafford to the Rams:
“The teams you’d suspect would have their hat in the ring have, indeed, thrown their hats in the ring,” Breer reported. “The New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Las Vegas Raiders and others have shown interest.”
The Giants’ interest in trading for Stafford has been a rumor swirling around for the last couple of weeks. Breer’s report adds an additional layer of legitimacy to the previously unconfirmed rumors. It’s clearly indicated in Breer’s report that the Giants, among other teams, have had conversations with the Rams or with Stafford about a potential trade.
Should the Giants trade for Stafford?
Clearly, there is legitimate interest from the Giants in trading for Stafford, but should there be? The 16-year-pro would undoubtedly be an upgrade for New York at quarterback, probably giving them their best quarterback play since the Eli Manning era. However, considering his age, the position that the Giants’ roster is in, and the contract they would need to pay Stafford, such a move to bring him in wouldn’t be such an obvious slam dunk.
Stafford threw for 3,762 yards with a 20-8 TD-INT ratio in the 2024 regular season across 16 starts. However, despite him appearing in nearly every game, Stafford was battling injuries throughout the season, and the Rams have some level of concern about his durability and age at 37 years old. These two factors should concern the Giants, too.
Trading for Stafford won’t be remotely cheap, either. On top of the lucrative (likely $50+ million per season) contract that the Giants would need to hand him, they also need to hand the Rams premium draft capital. The Giants hold the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, which could be used to select a rookie quarterback to build around for the future. The Rams, meanwhile, are seeking at least a first-round pick for Stafford, per Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports.
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Even if it doesn’t cost a first-round pick to trade for Stafford, the Giants are a team coming off a 3-14 season. Their roster needs to have a lot of work done to become competitive again. Would trading for 37-year-old Stafford really solve all their problems?
He would at least make them competitive again, sure. However, there are plenty of risks the Giants need to consider before they make a deal for Stafford.
