The Los Angeles Rams acquired Matthew Stafford on Saturday night in an NFL mega-trade with the Detroit Lions that saw Jared Goff plus a 2022 first-round draft pick, 2023 first-round draft pick, and a 2021 third-round draft pick go in the opposite direction. This move has seen the Rams’ Super Bowl 56 odds surge at legal online sportsbooks.
Super Bowl 56 Odds
Following the Stafford trade, the Rams moved from +2500 to a third-best +1100 at DraftKings, tied for the third-lowest with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This number is slightly higher at +1400 over at PointsBet.
The Rams moved from +900 to +500 to win the NFC at DraftKings, tied second-best with the Bucs.
The Lions are tied for the worst odds to win the Super Bowl with the Texans at +10000.
Who won the trade?
Who won the trade?
— Pickswise (@Pickswise) January 31, 2021
Yes, the Rams gave up a ton, but it wasn’t just about getting Stafford. They also got rid of Goff’s horrific contract and got a huge upgrade at quarterback. Stafford will be an excellent fit in Sean McVay’s play-action offense. He has the ability to stretch the field vertically, and it will open up softer boxes for the run game. He’s a great fit for a team with a lot of offensive weapons and an elite defense in the short term. On the flip side, the Rams will now go seven consecutive years without a first-round draft pick. Their next first-round pick will be in 2024. With salary cap allocated to Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey, and Stafford, this leaves little room for error with their future late-round draft picks.
The Lions will inherit Goff’s horrible contract of four years, $106.6m. But they do get significant draft capital in return and a chance to commit to a full rebuild. What’s interesting about this trade is that new Lions GM Brad Holmes was the director of college scouting for the Rams from 2013-2020. He is in a better position than anyone to know what he’s getting in Jared Goff. The Lions play their home games in a domed environment, so he shouldn’t have any trouble there, but he has to go to cold weather outdoor environments in Green Bay and Chicago each year, where we know he struggles.
This could end up being a good deal for both teams if Detroit uses its draft capital wisely, but that’s a big if. If the Rams win the Super Bowl in the next two years, we’ll sit here and say they won the trade. If they don’t, then it will cripple this team for several years to come.
The Rams are all in
Dec 10, 2020; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey (20) and defensive end Aaron Donald (99) celebrate after defeating the New England Patriots at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
While the Lions are entering full rebuild mode under their new GM and head coach Dan Campbell, the Rams are in full win-it-all mode.
Los Angeles has everything you need to win the Super Bowl. A great head coach, solid offensive line, weapons at the skill positions, including Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, Tyler Higbee, Gerald Everett, and Van Jefferson. Playmakers at every level on defense, and now they get a great quarterback.
If you like the Rams, I would probably bet them now before the Super Bowl next weekend. If the Chiefs win it all, I don’t see much fluctuation in the odds, but if Brady wins his seventh ring, he may ride off into the sunset, and the odds will tumble even further. Brady’s on a two-year deal, and at the moment all the signs point to him coming back for another year, but he may lose some offensive weapons. Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, Leonard Fournette, and Rob Gronkowski are all scheduled to be free agents after the 2021 season.
Another NFC contender may lose weapons this offseason — the Green Bay Packers. They have several offensive linemen, both running backs, Allen Lazard, and Robert Tonyan heading to free agency and little cap space to work with. If they lose weapons, then the Rams’ odds will only go in one direction, so bet the Rams now if you like them for Super Bowl 56.
I won’t be personally. I like to look a little further down the odds board in the futures markets. I’m currently looking at teams that Deshaun Watson may go to. How fun would the NFC West be to watch if Watson ended up in San Francisco?
Pickswise is the home of free Super Bowl Predictions. Our expert handicappers break down their best Super Bowl Picks, including our best free Prop Bets.
