Detroit Lions trading Matthew Stafford to Rams for Jared Goff. picks

New Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell told the Detroit Free Press on Saturday that trade talks involving longtime quarterback Matthew Stafford were “hot and heavy.” 

He wasn’t lying, apparently. 

Stafford will be traded to the Los Angeles Rams for a massive return that includes former No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff, a person with knowledge of the deal confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced publicly. 

In addition to Goff, the first pick in the 2016 NFL draft, the Rams are set to send the Lions their first-round picks in 2022 and 2023 as well as their third-round pick in the upcoming draft, according to NFL Network.

The trade ends Stafford’s 12-season tenure in Detroit, which saw him set a litany of Lions records. Stafford, the first overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft, had approached the Lions after the season, suggesting a trade might be in the best interest for both parties. 

More to come.