Rams give Jared Goff $2.5 million on the way to Detroit

The trade of Matthew Stafford for Jared Goff, two first round picks, and a third round pick became official on Thursday, putting Stafford in an LA Rams uniform 12 years after he was the number one pick, 11 years after Sam Bradford was the number one pick, and five years after Goff was the number one pick. Stafford will cost the Rams a relatively modest $20 million this year, which is less than 12 other quarterbacks, including Teddy Bridgewater (if he isn’t cut), Carson Wentz, Jimmy Garoppolo (if he isn’t cut), and Goff.

The Detroit Lions will be on the hook for a $26.5 million base salary owed to Goff, but they won’t have to pay him everything he makes this year. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Rams and Lions waited until the second day of the league year because LA agreed to pay Goff’s $2.5 million roster bonus prior to the trade becoming official.

The Rams will also incur a $24.7 million dead money cap hit for Goff this season, made somewhat diminutive only by the fact that the Philadelphia Eagles are paying a $33.8 million dead money hit for Wentz to play for the Indianapolis Colts.

However, LA will be free and clear of Goff’s contract by 2022, just as they are now entering new territory at the position with Stafford officially under contract for the Rams beginning on Thursday.