5 landing spots for Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford
Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions are set to part ways, and here are 5 potential landing spots for the veteran signal caller.
As they head into a reset with a new general manager and head coach, it seemed inevitable. But as NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported on Saturday, the Detroit Lions and quarterback Matthew Stafford have agreed to part ways and the team will explore trade options.
As Pelissero noted, Stafford is due to $10 million roster bonus on the fifth day of he league year. So that’s a proverbial deadline to have a deal done, but with talks sure to start right away a deal should be finalized and official within the first couple days of the league year.
Stafford’s’ contract, which would give cap hits of $20 and $23 million in the next two years to a new team, is very reasonable. He’ll turn just 33 on Super Bowl Sunday, so he’s got many good years left. And he’s still playing well-4,084 yards, 26 TD, 10 INT in essentially 15 games this season, after being on pace for the best year of his career before a back injury in 2019.
Several teams are a fit for Stafford in some fashion, depending on how some fit into the quarterback dominoes and move to fill the spot. But these five teams make the most sense as landing spots for him.
5-New England Patriots
At least for one year, the Patriots got the losing end in the divorce with Tom Brady. Cam Newton was not the answer, but they have the fourth-most cap space in the league to find a new solution under center ($57.3 million, according to Over The Cap). Among many holes to fill this offseason, quarterback is high on the list. Trading for Stafford would allow for those additional moves (wide receiver, tight end etc.)
4-Denver Broncos
Once upon a time (2015-2016), when trade rumors first surrounded Stafford, the Broncos were a rumored suitor. For better or worse given how badly he’s missed on the position, Stafford fits the prototypical (if old-school) profile John Elway has tended to like in a quarterback. Elway is no longer the Broncos’ general manager with the hiring of George Paton, but Elway is still team president and will surely have input in big moves. The Broncos also have an intriguing set of weapons (Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Noah Fant, KJ Hamler, Tim Patrick) that would benefit from a quarterback upgrade.
3-San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers can move on from Jimmy Garoppolo fairly painlessly this offseason ($2.8 million dead money hit, $24.1 million in clear cap space). And if general manager John Lynch has shown anything, even as has fallen short on some big moves, it’s that he’s willing to be very aggressive. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has sounded increasingly tepid in his commitment to Garoppolo, so the 49ers seem sure to survey quarterback options. Stafford and the offensive design of Shahanan look like a great match.
2-Indianapolis Colts
With nearly $65 million in cap space right now (according to Over The Cap), the Colts go into another offseason with plenty of money to spend. They also have an issue at quarterback, with Philip Rivers retiring and only Jacob Eason under contract for 2021 (Jacoby Brissett is a free agent).
The Colts are easily mentioned as a suitor for Carson Wentz, given his tie to Colts head coach (and former Eagles offensive coordinator) Frank Reich. But the Eagles seem set to keep Wentz now, having plucked Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni to be their new head coach. Stafford is a better quarterback than Wentz anyway, so he’s an easy pivot for Indianapolis now that he’s been declared available.
1-Washington Football Team
With a big quarterback question themselves, Washington was easy to tie to possible interest in Stafford before the news of the past week. Martin Mayhew is now in place as their new general manager, the same post he occupied with the Lions from 2008-2015. So Mayhew was Detroit’s GM when Stafford was drafted No. 1 overall in 2009, and now the man he attached himself to with that pick is officially available. With just over $35 million in cap space right now, and possible a lot more depending on where the league’s salary cap settles in at and other decisions that could clear space, Washington can make a real run at Stafford. The 19th overall pick this year is a starting point.