Matthew Stafford trade thoughts, DeShaun Watson, Giants, more

If you’re a New York Giants fan hoping the team somehow pries DeShaun Watson away from the Houston Texans, your dream probably died with Saturday night’s Matthew Stafford-Jared Goff blockbuster trade.

The Rams gave up Goff, a 2021 third-round pick and first-round picks in 2022 and 2023 in exchange for Stafford. The 32-year-old Stafford is good, but he’s seven years older and not nearly the player Watson is.

If the Detroit Lions could get that for Stafford, the Texans are getting a lot more than that for Watson if they finally choose to trade him.

If you’re the Giants, that probably means Daniel Jones, three first-round picks, and one or more Day 2 picks.

Here is one projected Houston asking price:

My guess? It could go higher if you get two or three teams involved in the bidding.

Now, admittedly my philosophy is that when you find the quarterback you think can give you a chance to compete for titles for the next 10 years you do what you have to do. The Giants, though, simply don’t have that much to give. Not, at least, without destroy their ability to put a good team around Watson.

The Giants don’t have any extra early-round picks. The New York Jets, for example, have six picks in the first 100 this year and an extra first-round pick next year from the Jamal Adams trade. The Jets could make that trade and still have enough early picks the next couple of seasons to have a chance to put some talent around Watson. The Giants would bankrupt their ability to add top young talent.

As for the trade itself, it’s a stunning “all in to win now” move for the Rams. And, in my view, a good one. They have a great defense led by Aaron Donald, one of the best to ever play. They have a top-tier head coach. Quarterback play was holding them back. They don’t need to add a lot to be a title contender right now, they just needed a championship-level quarterback. Stafford has a lot better chance to be that than Goff.

The Lions? They load up on picks and there are only two seasons of guaranteed money on Goff’s deal. If he isn’t the long-term solution in Detroit, he at least buys the Lions time to find that guy.

More things I think

• I can’t get all worked up about the Giants reportedly adding fired Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt to their coaching staff. Some folks are indignant since Pruitt was fired for cause when the school reportedly uncovered serious NCAA violations on his watch. This doesn’t make Pruitt some sort of monster who should be treated like a pariah. It makes him just the latest guy to rise to a level above his real capability, proven when he couldn’t win or keep control of his program. Pruitt is apparently a really good defensive coach. If he can help Patrick Graham, cool. As far as I’m concerned, whatever happened at Tennessee has nothing to do with it.
• I think Chris Pflum, Joe DeLeone, Nick Falato, Mark Schofield and Emory Hunt [YouTube video recap] crushed our Senior Bowl coverage. All I had to do all week was sit back and push “publish.” Good work, gang!
• I think the Giants signing veteran center Jonotthan Harrison to a reserve/futures contract with an unusual $2 million price tag is an interesting move. I doubt it means competition for Nick Gates. Harrison is likely a backup option for Gates, since Spencer Pulley is a free agent.

NOTE: A previous version of this story said the Giants would have to cut Pulley. That is not the case. He will be a free agent.