<\/p>\n
It’s not a stretch to say the\u00a0Detroit Lions\u00a0built much of their offense around one trade.<\/p>\n
In arguably the biggest transaction in franchise history, the\u00a0Lions\u00a0traded franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford\u00a0on Jan. 30, 2021, in exchange for quarterback Jared Goff, first-round draft picks in 2022 and 2023 and a third-round pick in 2021.<\/p>\n
It seemed to be a straightforward swap at the time, with two franchise quarterbacks switching teams and the Lions getting critical draft capital in return. But the Lions used the extra picks to make more big deals, turning the original blockbuster trade into a franchise-altering one.<\/p>\n
Let’s take a look at what the Lions ultimately received in exchange for Stafford.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The biggest chip for the Lions in the trade was Goff \u2013 a player the\u00a0Rams\u00a0were eager to get rid of.<\/p>\n
The four-time Pro Bowler has since played his best football in Detroit, throwing for at least 29 touchdowns passes in each of his last three seasons (and on his way to hitting that marks in 2025) and finishing fifth in the NFL MVP vote in 2024.<\/p>\n
Goff had some initial hard feelings about being sent off “to die” in Detroit, but has since called the trade “the greatest thing that ever happened to me.” He has started\u00a0every game over the past four seasons\u00a0(68 including playoffs).<\/p>\n
Melifonwu was taken with the 2021 third-round pick the Lions got from Los Angeles, selected No. 101 overall out of Syracuse. Melifonwu started 11 games combined in his first three seasons with Detroit from 2021-23, posting his best season in 2023 with two interceptions, three sacks, eight passes defended and 33 tackles.<\/p>\n
Melifonwu dealt with injuries throughout most of the 2024 season, however, and only appeared in three games that year. The\u00a0Miami Dolphins signed Melifonwu during 2025 free agency.<\/p>\n
![\"Jameson](\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_552,w_7319,h_4116\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images\/ImagnImages\/mmsport\/196\/01k7dsbkdr6wk6g34c04.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
The Lions used the 2022 first-round pick from the Super Bowl champion Rams, No. 32 overall, to package in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings. They\u00a0moved up 20 spots and selected Williams\u00a0at No. 12 overall.<\/p>\n
Williams has delivered on his promise over his past two years in Detroit after injuries and suspensions cut his first two seasons short. Williams put up a 1,001-yard season with 58 catches and seven touchdowns in 2024, and is on his way to break the 1,000-yard mark once again in 2025.<\/p>\n
He signed a\u00a03-year, $83 million contract extension\u00a0with the Lions in September.<\/p>\n
As part of the trade with the Vikings, the Lions also landed Minnesota’s second-round pick in the 2022 draft, No. 46 overall, which the Lions used to select Paschal.<\/p>\n
Paschal gradually became a fixture on the defensive line, starting four games in each of his first two seasons (2022 and 2023) and 10 in 2024. Paschal has not appeared for the Lions in 2025, however, after a back injury suffered in the spring has\u00a0kept him on the sidelines.<\/p>\n
With the Rams going 5-12 in 2022 and handing over the No. 6 overall pick,\u00a0general manager Brad Holmes maneuvered around the draft board\u00a0once again. He sent that pick and a third-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for picks 12, 34 and 168.<\/p>\n
The Cardinals took offensive tackle Paris Johnson at No. 6, while the Lions used the No. 12 pick on Gibbs, a selection many experts questioned at the time. That skepticism has mostly worn off this year.<\/p>\n
Gibbs has been one of the best player in the NFL in his third season, currently second among all running backs in total touchdowns (16) while averaging 134.7 total yards per game. He has set records all throughout his young career, and enters Week 15 against the Rams\u00a0tied with franchise legend Barry Sanders\u00a0for the most touchdowns in NFL history before turning age 24.<\/p>\n
Not finished by a long shot, the Lions selected LaPorta with the 34th overall pick out of Iowa in the 2023 draft, a pick they got from the deal with Arizona.<\/p>\n
LaPorta immediately set the NFL record for most receptions by a rookie tight end in a season (89), caught 10 touchdowns. and was named to the Pro Bowl. He has been out since mid-November after\u00a0undergoing surgery on his back\u00a0after an injury in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles.<\/p>\n
The last player the Lions selected using capital involved from the Stafford trade was Martin, picked\u00a096th overall out of Western Kentucky\u00a0in the 2023 draft.<\/p>\n
Martin struggled getting on the field in his first two seasons with Detroit, making only one start and five appearances from 2023-24. The Lions\u00a0waived Martin before the 2025 regular season began\u00a0after an ineffective preseason, and after a stint with the Kansas City Chiefs, he currently plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It’s not a stretch to say the\u00a0Detroit Lions\u00a0built much of their offense around one trade. In arguably the biggest transaction in franchise history, the\u00a0Lions\u00a0traded franchise quarterback Matthew… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":39686,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-detroit-lions"],"yoast_head":"\n