It’s been just over a week since the trade that sent Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams and more details are emerging from the blockbuster deal.
Aside from the Carolina Panthers’ offer to the Lions for Stafford, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Detroit initially requested for defensive tackle Aaron Donald during trade talks with the Rams. The Rams, however, said that they are not including the three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner in a possible deal.
In the end, the deal included starting quarterback Jared Goff, a 2022 and 2023 first round pick, and a 2021 third round pick.
When trade talks began between the Rams and Lions, the first player Detroit requested in a trade for QB Matthew Stafford was DT Aaron Donald, per sources. Rams told Lions, that's not happening, before the two sides later figured out the eventual compensation package. https://t.co/blGUo3f47y
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 7, 2021
It comes as no surprise that the Rams weren’t willing to include Donald in any trade package, even for a quarterback. After all, the 29-year old had just won his third Defensive Player of the Year award in four seasons after another dominant season for Los Angeles’ top-ranked defense.
Donald finished the 2020 season with 45 combined tackles, 13.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, and four forced fumbles for a Rams team that finished 10-6 and returned to the playoffs. He joined elite company in Pro Football Hall of Fame Lawrence Taylor and Houston Texans’ JJ Watt as the only players to win the award three times after previously winning the award in 2017 and 2018.
The 13th overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft was also a unanimous All-Pro, and is now a six-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler. Given his dominance throughout his career and his importance to the Rams’ defense, it’s a no-brainer for the team not to include Donald in the blockbuster trade to acquire the team’s new quarterback.
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