Winner: The Rams
They are the biggest and most obvious winners because it means they have their quarterback for the short term and do not have to go out into a thin free-agent market or thin draft class to try to find a replacement. Stafford might be in his mid-30s, but they were were a couple of plays from the NFC Championship Game and still have a top-tier passer.
Winner: Matthew Stafford
He gets a new deal, more money and gets to stay where he is without having to move across the country, or move to a team that is not as close to competing as the Rams are (like, say, the Raiders or Giants).
Loser: Tom Brady
Brady has not lost much when it comes to NFL matters, but he does take a bit of an “L” here. He is clearly trying to rapidly accelerate the Raiders’ timeline for winning and even reportedly met with Stafford at a ski resort in Montana (the NFL says it was all by the book and not tampering). Now that he missed out on him, he has to find a Plan B for new head coach Pete Carroll. The free-agency class is thin on potential options, and the Raiders might be out of range for Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders at the top of the draft class without moving up from the No. 6 spot, which would be extremely pricey.
Winner: Sam Darnold
Now that Stafford is staying in Los Angeles, Darnold is almost certainly the most attractive quarterback available this offseason and could probably land a lucrative contract. Even if it carries some significant risk for the team signing him to it. Darnold has really had only one big year in the NFL (this past season), and it came under perfect circumstances from a supporting cast perspective. Will he get that from one of the quarterback-needy teams this offseason? Very doubtful. But it also might not matter as far as his free-agency pursuits and bank account are concerned.
Loser: The Steelers
Stafford always seemed like a fantasy for the Steelers, but he was the best possible fantasy because it might have actually moved the needle for them to help make them a contender. Now they have to deal with the reality that they will have to run it back for another year with either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields. We know what that ceiling is. We have already seen it. The worst-case scenario, however, is trying the Aaron Rodgers experience for a year. Speaking of…
Winner and loser: Aaron Rodgers
In some ways, Rodgers is both a winner and loser. On one hand, with Stafford staying in Los Angeles Rodgers, he might actually have a market. It could be the Giants, the Raiders or perhaps even the Steelers as they try to make another run at contending. The bad news is that if Stafford had left the Rams, Rodgers might have had an opportunity to replace him and play for a better team. He might find a taker, but it could be something bleak.
Loser: The Giants
Stafford would not have turned the Giants into an instant contender, but now the door is open for them to make a potentially massive, massive mistake by signing Rodgers. They do not need this. Rodgers does not need this. Nobody needs this.
