For more reasons than one, it appears the New England Patriots didn't stand a chance in the Matthew Stafford sweepstakes.
Stafford's trade desire reportedly was fulfilled Saturday when the Lions dealt him to the Rams. Los Angeles, per multiple reports, will send a package of two future first-round picks, a future third-rounder and Jared Goff to Detroit in exchange for the veteran quarterback.
According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, the Rams' offer for Stafford was head and shoulders better than any other the Lions received. It's unknown whether the Patriots made a formal offer, but they reportedly weren't open to ponying up a first-round pick for the 32-year-old. The extent of New England's budget for this particular matter, per Breer, was a second-round pick and a player.
It might not have mattered if the Patriots made a more competitive offer, though. Stafford reportedly requested Detroit trade him to any team besides New England. This could have something to do with Matt Patricia, who recently rejoined the Patriots coaching staff after a terrible stint as Lions head coach.
Luckily for the Patriots, missing out on Stafford isn't the end of the world. New England picked an opportune time to search for an upgrade under center, as there is expected to be a healthy amount of appealing signal-caller options this offseason.
