NFL Rumors: Michael Lombardi claims 'Rams would love to trade,' Stafford

Okay. It's the NFL offseason, and that typically unleashes the NFL equivalent of conspiracy theories onto the NFL fans, and they have some level of traction because fans are starving for any NFL-related news or even new information. Right now, the NFL headlines are swelling with NFL rumors about the LA Rams. That is quite a bit for Rams fans to process right now. How much of it is legitimate? So far, I think that the NFL rumors about the LA Rams have been on point. But the rumor of a trade and/or a release is not the same thing as the actual event.

What do I mean? NFL trades can be rumored, but the success of any NFL trade is very fragile. It requires two motivated NFL teams to make that exchange, and both teams must emerge from that exchange believing that they have come away with the better value. Right now, the LA Rams have undermined their negotiation leverage from the standpoint that any trading partner knows that if no trade develops, the Rams have committed to outright releasing their veterans.

So the LA Rams are now up to parting ways with four key veterans. So why not five? Well, that's the latest in a wave of NFL Rumors, this time from the Pat McAfee Show podcast during an interview with former Cleveland Browns GM Michael Lombardi. During the interview, Lombardi claims that the LA Rams would 'Love to trade,' QB Matthew Stafford.

Rams want to part ways with Stafford?

Here's the Tweet that placed Matthew Stafford in the whirlwind of NFL Rumors:

Say what? The LA Rams are ready to part ways with starting quarterback Matthew Stafford after just two NFL seasons? Well, there are enough elements of logic and truth to make this believable. The LA Rams, having traded two first-round and one fourth-round pick for defensive back Jalen Ramsey, are now rumored to have him on the trade block. The guy is a bargain and is still in his NFL prime. He is not coming off injury and is a mismatch to the type of secondary that the LA Rams want to run.

Worst of all, Ramsey completely outplays his teammates in the Rams secondary. That is just one of multiple veterans who are currently on the LA Rams roster, but are prepared to play elsewhere. Is it all salary cap motivated? I don't think so, because the Rams do not create a significant amount of cap savings in any of the rumored trades/releases that are currently on the table for the Rams roster strategy.