To stay or to go: the answer will go a long way toward shaping the future of the Lions.
That's Matthew Stafford, of course, the Lions' franchise quarterback whose time with the franchise might be coming to an end. Even his good buddy Dan Orlovsky said it this week: "100 percent, the Lions need to move on from Stafford." And Stafford "has to move on" from the Lions.
"Dude, it's time," Orlovsky said. "It's time."
We'll see. Nothing will be decided until the Lions hire a new general manager and new head coach. For now, president Rod Wood is standing behind Stafford.
"I know there’s a lot of speculation about the quarterbacks that were taken (in the draft this year) and the quarterbacks that we didn’t take and Matthew’s health and his age. But he’s our quarterback and he’s still playing at a very high level," Wood told the Stoney & Jansen Show Friday during an interview to announce the Lions' return to 97.1 The Ticket.
"But we’ll eventually have to make a decision about drafting somebody and when we do, we’ll hopefully have the right team in place to evaluate those quarterbacks at the time and make the right pick for the Detroit Lions," Wood added.
Wood confirmed that he won't have a say in that decision and that the next GM will have full authority over matters of player personnel.
"That’s the way it was and that’s the way it will be. There’s a reporting structure, but there’s not a meddling structure," he said. "I don’t involve myself in those decisions any more than (owner) Sheila (Ford Hamp) does. We hire people who are experts at that and let them do their job."
The Lions were in position to draft a quarterback this year with the third overall pick. But they passed on the likes of Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert, who went fifth and sixth overall, respectively, for cornerback Jeff Okudah. That was the decision of Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia, who needed to win this year to save their jobs.
"In terms of drafting a quarterback, certainly we evaluate every position and every position is put up on the draft board and the selection that we made was based upon what we thought was the best thing for the Detroit Lions this season," Wood said. "Whether a quarterback gets drafted next year or the year after will be the decision me make that's the best for the Detroit Lions the next year or the year after."
The 2021 draft is deep at quarterback, beyond the likely top two picks in Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields. North Dakota State's Trey Lance, BYU's Zach Wilson and Florida's Kyle Trask are potential first-rounders themselves. If the season ended today, the Lions would draft 11th overall. The highest they could climb is No. 3.
Stafford, who turns 33 this offseason, sustained back fractures in 2018 and 2019 and is currently nursing a rib cartilage injury as well as a torn ligament in the thumb of his throwing hand. His contract runs through 2022.
As for the Lions' return to 97.1 The Ticket, Wood said the organization felt it was important to be on the airwaves of "the flagship station for sports in our town."
"We’re a great sports town and most of our fans listen to your shows throughout the day. Going back to that station is a reconnection with our fans, and that was a big part of it," Wood said.
