Report: Rams exploring Jared Goff trade options

We could see an unprecedented level of quarterback movement and changes this NFL offseason, including two of the Seattle Seahawks’ divisional rivals.

While the San Francisco 49ers have been linked to Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, nothing is solid there and the future of Jimmy Garoppolo remains uncertain. As for the Los Angeles Rams, who mostly rode their defense to an NFC Divisional Round appearance, Jared Goff could be heading elsewhere.

Rams beat writer Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports that the Rams are in exploratory talks with multiple teams about trading the former #1 overall pick from the 2016 NFL Draft. You may have heard Rams GM Les Snead say earlier in the week, “Jared Goff is a Ram at this moment.” That’s usually front office speak for “we gotta get out of this contract.”

Where the Rams may have a hard time convincing anyone to trade for Goff is the albatross deal they gave him in 2019 after they made the Super Bowl and then scored a grand total of three points.* Barring a contract restructure, is anyone itching to take on $43 million in guaranteed payments to Goff over the next two seasons? The Rams are already in salary cap hell and have to be careful with the timing of any Goff trade. Cutting him is out of the question when you look at the consequences of doing that on either side of June 1st.

Goff has been a turnover machine over the past two seasons, with a whopping 38 combined interceptions and fumbles. The legitimately impressive surge he had under Sean McVay in 2017 and 2018 has crashed into a level of inconsistency that is not acceptable relative to the money he’s getting.

If there’s any good news out of this for Seattle Seahawks fans it’s that the bad cap situation and lack of draft capital — no first-rounder in 2021 — makes it unlikely that they jettison Goff for Deshaun Watson.

*- Nope, no amount of hiring Sean McVay’s assistants will deter me from making “The Rams scored 3 points in the Super Bowl” jokes.