The Chicago Bears inquired about Matthew Stafford from the Detroit Lions over the past week. They were reportedly willing to make a strong offer. In the end though they weren’t going to outbid the Los Angeles Rams. Sean McVay and Les Snead were desperate to upgrade at the quarterback position. Stafford was also interested in playing for the Rams. So the two sides hammered out a deal that sent the all-time Lions passing leader out west.

Nobody should be surprised. Chicago was always a long shot since they play in the same division. GM Ryan Pace just had to make sure he tried. Stafford would’ve been a significant upgrade from what the Bears had the past several years. This leaves the big question. How does this trade impact the team as the offseason continues to unfold?

There are three key effects worth noting. Some positive and some concerning.

First? Jared Goff is a downgrade from Matthew Stafford

If people weren’t entirely sold on the Lions being in rebuild mode, this trade proves it. Their head coach even admitted he and GM Brad Holmes are looking two to three years down the line. They knew full well they would be downgrading at quarterback once Stafford was gone. Going from him to Jared Goff is a step back, no matter what people may try to argue.

Since the start of 2019, Stafford had 45 touchdowns, 15 interceptions, and a passer rating of 99.8. Over that same time span, Goff has 42 touchdowns, 29 interceptions, and a passer rating of 88.1. He won’t have the brilliant Sean McVay offensive coaching to help him in Detroit either. The Bears’ odds of claiming a season sweep over Detroit in 2021 are considerably higher now.

Confirms price for Deshaun Watson will be high

People already knew this going in but the specifics of the Stafford trade merely makes it obvious. If he, a 32-year old with no playoff victories and one Pro Bowl went for two 1st round picks, one 3rd round pick, and a starting QB, what is Watson worth? A three-time Pro Bowler with a playoff victory to his name already. Not to mention he’s 25.

Presuming the Houston Texans eventually cave and are forced to make a deal, half the NFL will be in pursuit. That means Watson’s price will be sky high. Think three 1st round picks and multiple Day 2 picks. Probably a good player added to the mix as well. Are the Bears willing to pay that price? Perhaps. Even if they are, it’ll take some good luck to actually seal the deal.

Lessens odds Detroit trades up for QB in 1st round

When the Matthew Stafford news became public, it was obvious the Lions would likely focus on grabbing their next quarterback in the 1st round of the draft. Maybe even use the assets acquired to move up from #7 overall to secure him. However, the arrival of Goff lessens that likelihood. He isn’t their long-term option to be clear. It is more likely he will be their bridge guy for a season why the team brass focuses on rebuilding a depleted roster. They could still take a QB at #7, but a trade up is unlikely now.

This is good news for the Bears. Presume they miss on landing Watson, their next course of action would be exploring potential opportunities to move up from #20 overall to grab somebody they covet. The sweet spot appears to be either #5 with Cincinnati or #6 with Philadelphia. Both teams have their QB situations settled and aren’t likely to take one. Perhaps one would be willing to move down to secure extra assets.