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In the first blockbuster deal of 2021, Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff are switching teams. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Detroit is dealing Stafford to the Rams in exchange for two future first-round picks, a third-round pick and Goff.

News of the trade comes only a few hours after Dan Campbell said trade talks were “hot and heavy” with all signs pointing to a deal getting completed before the Super Bowl.

The Lions and Stafford mutually agreed to a trade of the quarterback.

Trades cannot become official until the start of the league year March 17. But after fielding several offers -- including multiple teams offering first-round picks in this year's draft -- the Lions get their deal, and a new QB, while Stafford gets a fresh start.

Stafford, who turns 33 on Feb. 7, was the first pick in the 2009 draft. He was voted to the Pro Bowl once in 12 seasons and is 0-3 in three playoff games. Other than receiver Calvin Johnson, however, Stafford, has never played with a surplus of talent.

Stafford has passed for 45,109 yards and 282 touchdowns, with 144 interceptions. This season, he passed for 4,084 yards and 26 touchdowns, with 10 interceptions.

He's No. 4 all-time in passing yards per game (273.4) behind just Patrick Mahomes, Drew Brees and Andrew Luck, is second all-time behind Luck in attempts per game (37.7) and fourth in completions per game (23.6) behind Brees, Mahomes and Matt Ryan.

Stafford has thrown at least 20 touchdowns in every full season of his career - and at least 10 interceptions as well.

Stafford has two years remaining on his contract and had salary-cap numbers of $33 million in 2021 and $26 million in 2022, according to overthecap.com.

The Rams, meanwhile, refused to give Goff a vote of confidence after the loss to the Packers in the playoffs. As recently as Tuesday, Rams general manager Les Snead was noncommittal about Goff’s future in Los Angeles, saying “Jared Goff is a Ram at this moment. It’s way too early to speculate (on) the future. That’s a beautiful mystery.”

It had become obvious the Rams no longer wanted to be on the hook for Goff’s contract, which carries more than $43 million in fully guaranteed payments in 2021 and 2022.

Goff, 26, was the No. 1 overall choice in 2016.

Goff, the first pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, has passed for 18,171 yards and 107 touchdowns with 55 interceptions and has a 42-27 record in the regular season and has started a Super Bowl. He's made two Pro Bowls. But this season, he passed for a career-low 20 touchdowns, with 13 interceptions as the Rams finished 10-6.

Goff sat out the season finale against the Arizona Cardinals while recovering from right thumb surgery. But the following week, despite Goff saying he was capable of playing, head coach Sean McVay again started backup John Wolford in an NFC wild-card game against the Seattle Seahawks.

After Wolford suffered a first-quarter neck injury, Goff came off the bench and helped lead the Rams to victory. Goff started the divisional-round game against the Green Bay Packers and passed for a touchdown in the 32-18 season-ending defeat.

After the game, McVay said Goff was the Rams’ quarterback, “right now,” putting Goff’s future with the team in doubt. Just over a week later, general manager Les Snead said Goff was the Rams’ quarterback “in this moment,” indicating the team was ready to move on.

Before the 2019 season, he signed a $134-million extension, with $110 in guarantees.

According to SI.com's Eric D. Williams, jn Stafford, McVay gets a playmaker at quarterback and someone who will take better care of the football.

However, Stafford is 0-3 in the playoffs, while Goff is 3-3 in the playoffs, helping to lead the Rams to a Super Bowl after the 2018 season.

One laste item here. ... As Profootballtalk.com's Michael David Smith notes, tonight's trade means the Rams are poised to go seven consecutive years without a first-round draft pick.

The last time the Rams used a pick in the first round it was Goff, the first overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft. The Rams traded their 2017 first-round pick as part of the package to move up and draft Goff in 2016. Their 2018 first-round pick was used to to acquire receiver Brandin Cooks from New England. They traded their 2019 first-round pick to move down and acquire first- and second-round picks from Atlanta. The Rams traded their 2020 and 2021 first-rounders for Jalen Ramsey.

And now they've sent their 2022 and 2023 first rounders to Detroit along with Goff for Stafford.

So, as Smith summed up, "The Rams can draft in the first round again in 2024. Maybe."