Over the last several weeks, there has been widespread speculation that the New York Giants will try to acquire Matthew Stafford in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams.
These rumors intensified this week when ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reported that acquiring Stafford is the team’s top priority.
Having the 37-year-old quarterback under center for Big Blue would give the franchise a much-needed boost after they set a franchise record for losses last season when they finished 3-14. But there are pros and cons if the team trades for Stafford.
Here’s our breakdown on why it makes sense for the Giants to trade for him and why it doesn’t.
Why it makes sense
Self-preservation for Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen
It’s clear that if the Giants do not show significant improvement in 2025, head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen will be out of a job. As important as it is to build for the future, Daboll and Schoen need to win now, and Stafford is a proven winner.
Despite going 3-14 last season, the Giants have the toughest strength of schedule as their opponents have a winning percentage of .574. The team will play the NFC North and AFC West, and both divisions had three teams make the playoffs last season.
The best chance for Daboll and Schoen to keep their jobs beyond next season is to get a quarterback of Stafford’s caliber who could pull off a few upsets and bring credibility back to the team.
Related: NFL insider hints at blockbuster trade between New York Giants and Tennessee Titans
Stafford could help turn WR Malik Nabers into an All-Pro
Wide receiver Malik Nabers had a stellar rookie season and set a franchise record for most receptions in a season (109) to go along with 1,204 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. What made this all the more impressive is that he did this with subpar quarterback play. Imagine what he could do catching passes from a top-10 quarterback? Nabers would have seen his 11-yard per reception average increase significantly.
Despite his age, Stafford is still one of the best quarterbacks in the league and will bring out the best in Nabers, and we’ll see more explosive plays from the star wideout. It would not be a surprise if Nabers puts up All-Pro numbers in 2025 if the Giants can pull off this blockbuster trade.
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Why it doesn’t make sense
Giants would have to give up significant draft capital to acquire aging QB
Even if the team acquires Stafford, they’re still far from being a contender. Although it would be a huge upgrade to have a quarterback on the roster who will surpass 60,000 passing yards this season, nobody is expecting the team to be one of the best in the conference.
The Rams know the Giants are desperate to acquire a top-tier quarterback, and they will try to get as much as they can in return if they’re going to part ways with a quarterback that led them to a Super Bowl three years ago.
The Giants won’t trade the third overall pick to get Stafford, but they may have to trade their second-round pick (34th overall) along with other draft capital to acquire the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback. That’s a significant amount of draft capital for a player who might play three more seasons.
The team would be better off long-term if they signed a veteran free-agent quarterback and kept all of their draft picks, instead of giving up picks for an aging quarterback.
Related: 2025 mock draft: Who should the Giants draft?
Stafford wants a huge contract
The reason all the trade rumors surrounding Stafford began to surface was because he’s unhappy with his current contract, where he’s scheduled to make $27 million in 2025. The belief is that he wants to be paid as a top-10 quarterback, which would put him in the $50 million per year range.
So not only would the team have to make a trade to acquire the Rams quarterback, but they would also have to give him a hefty contract. For a team with a plethora of holes to fill, investing that money in a player at the tail end of their career would be a bad investment. The Giants will have around $50 million in cap space, and it would be in their best interest to use that money to sign players who could be cornerstones for the franchise for years to come.
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