The Pittsburgh Steelers appear interested in Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. However, if they want to make that trade, not only will they have to give a significant draft pick, but a hefty contract will come with that trade, too.
Peter Schrager of NFL Network reports Stafford is asking for $50 million per year in his next contract, a steep uptick in his current cost for a 37-year-old quarterback. The Steelers have more than enough space to accommodate it.
Yet, the question is not so much about whether they can afford it but whether they should do it. Stafford had the Rams within a drive of knocking off the Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles on the road and in the snow, so he has plenty of gas in the tank.
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Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reported last week that Stafford is a first-round pick. With that contract cost, it seems unlikely the Rams will land that much draft compensation.
That is about right for what Aaron Rodgers went for at the time of his exit from Green Bay, and if the Steelers want to maximize their Super Bowl window, this is a move that could be their big swing for the moon, but Stafford will need a reworked contract and started to show signs of decline.
On top of that, Stafford has often been injured, and with the Steelers’ young but still growing offensive line, those concerns would not be quelled in Pittsburgh.