The first big shoe to drop during the 2021 offseason came on the quarterback market. That was when the Los Angeles Rams traded Jared Goff and two 1st round picks to the Detroit Lions in exchange for quarterback Matthew Stafford. It was a massive shift in identity for the Rams and a clear Super Bowl-or-bust move. What people forget is L.A. wasn’t the only team interested in the former Pro Bowler. Matt Nagy and the Chicago Bears were too.
Reports, after the deal went down, were the Bears offered a 1st round pick and change for Stafford. However, he ended up going to the Rams. Not just because they made a bigger offer but also because their head coach Sean McVay sold him on the organization. How did he do that? By meeting with the quarterback during a vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
As it turns out, McVay wasn’t the only one who had that idea.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan admitted he too was at the vacation resort at the same time. He’d hoped to get a meeting with Stafford as well. Unfortunately, he was at the wrong hotel and by the time he realized the issue, it was too late. McVay had closed the deal. If that weren’t interesting enough? Nagy dropped a fascinating nugget of his own during the latest Bears press conference. When asked where he was when the Stafford trade went down, he answered somewhat sheepishly.
That can’t possibly be a coincidence. Three head coaches, all eager for an upgrade at quarterback, landing in Cabo at the same time Stafford is there on vacation? Come on. It doesn’t take a lot to connect the dots. One can make a safe assumption that Nagy wasn’t just there to vacation. Like Shanahan, he was hoping for a chance to meet Stafford and pitch him on coming to Chicago. It didn’t work.
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Matt Nagy may have lucked out in the end
Is Stafford a really good quarterback? Yes. However, he’s also 33-years old. That may not seem old but remember he has played since 2009. During that time his body has endured a lot of hits. There is no telling how much longer he will be able to stand up to the hits. He might’ve opened the window for Chicago over the next couple of years, but no more. His decision to join L.A. ended up guiding the Bears towards Justin Fields.
If nothing else, at least he’s out of the division. While Chicago plays him in the opener this weekend, they won’t have to worry about seeing him twice a year anymore. Stafford finished his Lions career 11-9 against them. People loved to trash the QB, but facts are facts. He’s a good player. Matt Nagy knew that and it’s probably why he went on a recruiting trip.
That is the NFL offseason.
A series of twists and turns that often requires blind luck to accomplish your goals. After striking out on Stafford and Russell Wilson, the Bears ended up watching Fields somehow plummet out of the top 10, allowing them to get their guy. Somebody nobody predicted for months prior to the draft. Here is hoping it all happened for a reason.
