The Detroit Lions are starting over with a new coaching staff, and they would make a change to the quarterback as well. Jason La Canfora, a CBS Sports NFL insider, has confirmed that the Lions and Matthew Stafford have mutually agreed to end their tenure together this offseason and that the team will begin exploring trade options in the coming weeks for the former general pick # 1, as first reported by Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. According to Pelissero, Stafford has expressed a desire for a fresh start in recent weeks, and the Lions have agreed to put him on the trading block. The two teams have had “open and healthy” discussions since the end of the regular season, and with a new head coach in Dan Campbell and a new offensive coordinator, this certainly seems like the right time to make a change.
Stafford, who was caught with the first pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, has spent his entire career in Detroit. He likely ends his time in Detroit with 45,109 yards and 282 passing touchdowns – both are franchise records. Stafford turns 33 this offseason, but he still plays at a high level and has done so thanks to multiple injuries. In 16 games last season, he had 4,084 yards, 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while the Lions went 5-11. A move could come relatively soon, as Pelissero notes that on the fifth day of the 2021 league year in March, Stafford is expected to receive a bonus of $ 10 million. The veteran signalman still has two years and $ 43 million on his contract.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Campbell and new Managing Director Brad Holmes were told Stafford was not to be with the team until they were hired, so no one in the organization was blinded by this development. According to Schefter, the Lions should receive at least one first-round pick in exchange for Stafford. There are a lot of teams that might be interested in acquiring the services of a big gun veteran, like Washington or the Indianapolis Colts. We’ve broken down the five NFL teams most likely to make a deal with the Lions, here.
The Lions own the 7th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, so it’s possible Detroit is now targeting a quarterback with their first pick. Then again, there are plenty of quarterbacks available in the market this offseason – a group that Stafford is now joining.
