Perhaps the most difficult aspect of the Matthew Stafford saga has already been resolved.
The veteran Detroit defender and the Lions administration reached a distressing resolution, mutually agreeing that the club will seek an exchange that will give Stafford a fresh start elsewhere after 12 seasons.
The team’s first overall selection in 2009 suffered many losses, many dashed hopes and many promises of a better tomorrow. It’s time to move on.
But, with that initial obstacle now resolved, another one awaits: what is a deal for the 32-year-old and how difficult will it be to reach an agreement?
These are very open-ended questions because, well, how often are quarterbacks of Stafford caliber traded? Answer: Rarely.
We know this because history tells us that.
A retrospective of the past two decades in the NFL provides some examples of trade of this magnitude. We select through all …