Matthew Stafford trade: these five teams are more likely to close a successful deal with Lions

For years, NFL fans have wondered what the ceiling would be for a quarterback with Matthew Stafford’s flair if he could escape the Detroit Lions franchise. We don’t want to offend Lions fans, but with the constant rotation on the front lines, they didn’t exactly do the best job of providing a strong support cast for Stafford. The same can be said about the lack of stability from the point of view of the technical team. Fans who hoped to see Stafford with a better team around them will now finally fulfill their wish. Detroit Lions and Stafford spent a few weeks after off-season considering their options and reportedly agreed to part ways.

The next step in the process will be for Lions to open the phone lines and start making offers to the franchise quarterback. The expectation is that the bidding will be heavy. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Nework, Stafford has expressed a desire for a new beginning in recent weeks and Lions have agreed to put him on the commercial block. The two sides have had “open and healthy” discussions since the end of the regular season, and with a new coach at Dan Campbell and a new offensive coordinator, this certainly looks like the right time to make a change.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Lions should be given at least one choice in the first round in exchange for Stafford, although it is rumored that many defenders will be on the market this season. So, which teams would give up their first round for the veteran signal caller? It is expected that there will be a lot of interest from several teams.

Below, we will divide five teams that should at least pick up the phone and call Lions about their quarterback. Stafford has many connections with the league, so he could play under the command of a coach or general manager with whom he is familiar in 2021.

Like RJ White from CBS Sports As noted, Washington’s new general manager, Martin Mayhew, was the general manager in Detroit when Stafford was named as the best choice in 2009. It proved to be a big decision and the University of Georgia prospect set several franchise and NFL records during his management with Lions. Washington has Alex Smith, who made a notable return in the NFL last season, but he struggled to stay healthy due to other persistent injuries. Washington had to start newsboy Taylor Heinicke in his postseason fight against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Washington has a great receiver in Terry McLaurin, a talented newcomer in 2020 running on Antonio Gibson and an elite defense that is highlighted by a defensive line composed of all the choices of the first round. Even with a healthy Smith, Washington could move up as a defender, and it is a move that could make them a legitimate candidate. Washington should call and see if Lions would accept general choice No. 19 in the NFL’s 2021 Draft.

Philip Rivers recently announced his retirement, so, of course, the Colts are also in the market for a new starting quarterback. Like Washington, this is a team that appears to be just a quarterback away, but is much closer to being a legitimate candidate. Rivers led the Colts to a record 11-5 last season – which was their best campaign since 2014. This is a franchise that has been unlucky with the position of defender since breaking up with Peyton Manning. Andrew Luck decided to hang up early, Jacoby Brissett didn’t make the most of his starting opportunity and then Rivers gave Indy just one season. Stafford is under contract for two more years and seems to have a lot to look forward to. He also still has the elite talent and knows how to spread the ball to several talented wideouts, so he could fit in perfectly with names like TY Hilton and Michael Pittman Jr.

The 49ers have Jimmy Garoppolo under contract for at least two more seasons, but that doesn’t mean San Francisco won’t stop working with him this off season. Last month, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was asked about Garoppolo, and he didn’t seem overly confident about his franchise quarterback.

“You can’t say anything for sure,” the coach told reporters, by ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. “You don’t sit here and make promises about anything. When you build a football team, it’s your job to bring together the best team year after year.”

Shanahan opened his dialogue by saying that he believes Garoppolo “will be our defender next year”, but his answers to questions about his defender certainly sounded like he was open to change. It’s hard to believe anything you hear from the coaches – remember when the Arizona Cardinals said Josh Rosen was your quarterback before climbing Kyler Murray? The 49ers have only been in the Super Bowl for a year, but failed to make the playoffs last season. With a solid defense and then versatile weapons like Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle, this team would immediately fight again if it updated its position as a defender.

Former Lions coach Matt Patricia is returning to the Patriots, so maybe he can have a good word with Bill Belichick about Stafford. Cam Newton’s experiment did not work and the Patriots are again looking for a new quarterback to fill the void that Tom Brady left. It is true that New England has many holes to fill this offseason on the offensive side of the ball, but the question of the quarterback is clearly the most important one. The Stafford contract is affordable, the Patriots have general choice # 15 and Belichick obviously has some success when it comes to working with a veteran caller and developing a system that works around him.

After making 4-1 as a rookie, Drew Lock took a step back in his second season. He won just four of the 13 starts and completed 57.3% of his passes for 2,933 yards, 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Despite having two forward running backs and many weapons to launch the ball, Lock’s inconsistencies prevented the attack in several games last season, which could lead someone to believe that someone else would start with the penalty in 2021. John Elway is not more calling the shots in Denver, but he is still on the front lines and may be a fan of a big-armed veteran who fits into the prototypical construction. The Broncos can also be considered a team that is a quarterback from finding success, as they have young guns like Tim Patrick, Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler and tight end Noah Fant. Having Lock learn from a veteran for a year or two would also be beneficial.