The Detroit Lions is officially shopping quarterback Matthew Stafford. Reports from Tom Pelissero and Adam Schefter have the Lions open to offers and expecting them to start coming in this week. Pelissero is reporting Stafford and the Lions have mutually agreed on this and Schefter is reporting the Lions are expected to get a “handsome return” that includes “at least a first-round pick.”
Stafford has two years left on his contract and is due a total of $43 million. If the Lions trade him, they would carry $19 million in dead money but clear $14 million in cap space. With just under $3 million in cap space and the 7th overall pick in a draft with a lot of QB talent, a deal makes sense for Detroit as they start a new era with general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell.
There have been numerous reports DeShaun Watson wants out of Houston. While he could get dealt, Stafford is a much easier get than Watson. Stafford won’t come cheap in a trade, but he’s a more reasonable option. And while he does not have Watson’s ceiling, he still is immensely talented with a high floor. Plenty of teams will line up with interest.