The Giants are interested in trading for Matthew Stafford, but the No. 3 pick is (unsurprisingly) off-limits in a potential deal, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic.
New York’s second-round pick (No. 34 overall) would likely be a “starting point” in negotiations with the Rams, per Duggan, though that would also mean that the Giants are willing to meet Stafford’s financial demands.
He reportedly wants $50MM per year, which would represent a 25% increase on the $40MM APY of his current deal. The Rams, for their part, are willing to give Stafford a raise of some sort, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. However, they are not believed to be comfortable giving him the upper-echelon quarterback contract he’s seeking. The Rams clearly didn’t feel comfortable meeting his asking price, which is why they’re allowing Stafford to speak with other teams. He can assess his value and decide if his future is in Los Angeles or elsewhere.
Fowler said that he expects the Steelers and the Giants to explore acquiring Stafford in the coming weeks. Both teams are seeking stability at quarterback after multiple years of turmoil under center, though spending premium draft capital and $50MM per year on Stafford may not be a long-term solution.
Stafford wants his contract situation to be “resolved fairly soon,” per Fowler, who believes the veteran quarterback’s future is still with the Rams. Los Angeles would want to reach an agreement with Stafford as soon as possible to clarify their salary cap picture ahead of free agency.