It was always one thing to say the Lions were committed to Matthew Stafford for 2020. That much seemed obvious. And it would always be something else to rule them out of the running for Tua Tagovailoa.
Because, theoretically, the Lions could draft Tua third overall and groom him under Stafford for a season. But that won't be happening, according to ESPN's Matthew Berry.
"There is no chance the Lions take Tua Tagovailoa in the draft, a source I highly trust told me," Berry reported Tuesday in a column wrapping up the NFL combine. "No chance."
Are Redskins Out On Tua? What Does It Mean For Lions?
Of the many reports involving Tua and the Lions the past couple months, this is the most emphatic yet. The others have generally left room for interpretation. More than a few have colored Detroit interested in the Alabama QB. Not this one.
It jibes with everything Lions GM Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia have said about Stafford this offseason. He's our guy. We're blessed to have him. He's not going anywhere. And it jibes with what Stafford told Quinn last month: "I don't want to go anywhere."
Add it all up, and it's increasingly likely the Lions take one of the three defensive players with their first pick: Ohio State CB Jeffrey Okudah, Auburn DT Derrick Brown or Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons.
