It has only been a couple of weeks, but the news of Matthew Stafford’s trade to the Los Angeles Rams continues to make waves in the NFL.
The Rams have bucked the natural convention of team building –opting to trade first-round picks for premium positions– and have positioned themselves to be a Super Bowl contender heading into the 2021 season. Stafford has not gotten the praise becoming of his skill as a quarterback due to the Detroit Lions’ failure to surround him with enough talent to win, but is well-regarded around the league and should flourish in Sean McVay’s offense.
Although Los Angeles may be hamstrung in its attempts to build around its new signal-caller, general manager Les Snead has proven he can maneuver the cap as well as anybody. The Rams do not make this kind of blockbuster move unless it had an idea of how it can add to the current roster.
While Snead will be in charge of making decisions, it appears he might not have to look too far for help because according to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Stafford is already receiving offers from players to come join him:
Just as Tom Brady had lured free agents to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Matthew Stafford is expected to do the same for the Los Angeles Rams.
Shortly after the Rams and Detroit Lions agreed to a trade that would send Stafford out west, the quarterback began receiving texts from players who wanted to come join him in Los Angeles, per sources.
One name to look out for is Stafford’s former Lions teammate Marvin Jones Jr.:
One of those players expected to be interested in joining Stafford in Los Angeles is Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr., per sources. Jones is scheduled to be a free agent this winter, and he grew up in Fontana, California, and later attended Cal. The Rams and Jones seem like a natural fit even before free agency begins March 17.
Jones was born and raised in Southern California and would be a natural fit for McVay as a downfield option the offense was sorely lacking last season. It remains to be seen who else is interesting in teaming up with Stafford, but it should be an eventful offseason regardless.
With Stafford in place, Los Angeles figures to be a prime destination for free agents hoping to win a Super Bowl. The combination of a projected explosive offense, new stadium and excellent weather will make it hard for any player to pass up should the Rams have interest in them.
