Rams' Matthew Stafford Earns Impressive Spot in Recent Rankings

The Los Angeles Rams and the Detroit Lions made one of the biggest trades the National Football League has seen since the 2010s. Especially knowing how special quarterback Matthew Stafford was to Detroit, the sentimental value made this trade that much more impactful.

In 2021, the Rams acquired Stafford from the Lions, and the franchise hasn't looked back. The Lions did get a former first-rounder in quarterback Jared Goff for Stafford, as well as several draft picks that they have used to build their team. But unlike the Lions, the Rams have won a Super Bowl with Stafford on the roster.

Since donning a Rams uniform for the first time, Stafford carried over his success with Detroit and has maintained his status as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. So much so that the thought of losing Stafford this offseason was too much to handle for Rams fans, knowing they don't have the best depth at the position.

Lucky for Los Angeles, Stafford is staying put and looks to lead the franchise back to the top of the NFC West division, march back to the NFC Championship game, and hope they can headline another Super Bowl with Stafford under center.

The Rams' success with Stafford has been prominent enough that, according to CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin's Top 10 rankings of the best acquisitions of the past decade, the Stafford deal has been so good it landed him as the second-best. The number one spot went to Tom Brady when he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.

"The Rams had built an all-star lineup by 2021, and they envisioned Stafford -- not Goff, his L.A. predecessor -- as the missing piece to a championship. They were quickly proven right, with Stafford's big arm helping lift the Rams over the top in a 41-touchdown debut. Durability has been an issue, but when upright, No. 9 remains one of the NFL's most gifted arms," Benjamin wrote.

While Stafford is likely to show his age sooner or later, the Rams must capitalize on what Stafford has left in the tank before addressing the position, perhaps with another blockbuster trade to be discussed a decade from now.