It's only two games into the 2024 NFL season but things are already getting derailed for the Los Angeles Rams. The team is 0-2 and has been hit by a rash of injuries. Among the biggest players on Injured Reserve are wide receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp.
If things keep going downhill, the Rams may have to consider some drastic measures. ESPN's Mina Kimes pitched the idea of trading quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Las Vegas Raiders.
"If they were to make that decision, OK what teams are we talking about? I'm gonna pitch one to you guys - the Raiders," Kimes said on the September 17 episode of "NFL Live." "Watching the first two weeks, that is a very, very good defense. Davante Adams is still one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Brock Bowers looks like a dude. Imagine Matthew Stafford [with those guys]."
The Raiders are 1-1 and coming off a huge win over the Baltimore Ravens. The biggest concern for the team comes at quarterback where Gardner Minshew has been inconsistent. While he's currently tied for second in the NFL with 533 passing yards, Minshew has never thrown for more than 3,400 yards in a season and has never started a playoff game. Stafford has won a Super Bowl and remains a dynamic quarterback when healthy.
In Stafford's first year in Los Angeles in 2021, he was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He threw for 41 touchdowns while leading the Rams to a Super Bowl. However, since that season, he hasn't thrown more than 24 touchdown passes in a season and has missed 10 games due to injury.
Stafford is 36 and has been sacked 481 times in his career, which is the 10th-most in NFL history. He may only have a few more years left of being a starting quarterback so the Rams can't expect a huge return if they were to trade him. Perhaps a second-round pick would be enough to make it happen.
Stafford has meant a lot to the Rams franchise but they may want to restart their quarterback clock considering all the injuries this season. It's never ideal to trade a franchise quarterback who won a team a Super Bowl but the Rams need to think about their future.
Stafford would certainly be an upgrade at quarterback for the Raiders. While Minshew has played well through two games, the team has a low ceiling with him as the starter. Stafford has proven that his ceiling is winning the Super Bowl.
If he's available and the Raiders are playing well, a trade is something they'd have to consider. The defense is already very good and the offense has exciting weapons like Davante Adams and Brock Bowers. The biggest concern would be the offense line. Pro Football Focus recently ranked them as the fourth-worst group in the NFL through two games.
However, left tackle Kolton Miller should get better as he knocks off some rust after missing training camp due to shoulder surgery and second-round pick Jackson Powers-Johnson should be an upgrade at left guard once he's able to get on the field. If the Raiders feel they are an elite quarterback away from going on a Super Bowl run, trading for Stafford would be about as big a move as they could make.