While Deshaun Watson trade buzz is taking over the NFL as of Thursday morning, we can't forget about the impending fate of Matthew Stafford. He, like Watson, has requested to part ways with his career-long franchise, albeit on apparently much better terms.
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And given the Patriots' current quarterback situation, you have to think they'll be in the mix for pretty much every notable name that's on the market. Matthew Stafford, like several other potential targets, carries along a list of pros and cons, many of which have been brought up by former Patriots when asked about the possibility of trading for him.
Former Patriots safety Rodney Harrison called it a "perfect choice" for Stafford, adding that his lack of leadership qualities wouldn't be as much of an issue thanks to the presence of Bill Belichick's prominent voice as the team's leader. He also argued that they don't need him to be Tom Brady.
"They just need him to complete some passes and not throw it into the ground like Cam (Newton) does every other throw."
Meanwhile, former Pats receiver Randy Moss brought up the fact that the Lions are an indoor team, and so bringing him to a market that plays its games outside, often in cold conditions, isn't the smartest move.
Which side did former linebacker Tedy Bruschi take?
"No, I don't agree with Hot Rod, there," Bruschi said on OMF. "I'm a fan of Matthew Stafford, the player. I'm just not a fan of his teams, so what does that say? It says watching him play is fun, sling it all over the place, the arm angles, taking chances... all of that stuff, that's great. But it never equals into anything substantial, anything meaningful for the victory.
"He is a star but, yes, he is not a winner... There's a lot of guys out there with a lot of stats that have no playoff wins, and I think Stafford doesn't have playoff wins for a reason."
Objectively, Bruschi's argument holds up. Stafford has a losing record (74-90-1) throughout his NFL career. He's made it to the playoffs three times, and has lost in all three of those games. In his 12 NFL seasons, he only has four winning records as a starting quarterback, with a 14-25-1 record since 2018. But who is to blame there... is it Stafford, is it his supporting cast, is it the coaching?
And joining New England presents a whole different group of questions, according to Bruschi.
"Now [if] he comes to New England, you're gonna have to drop in pay, you're gonna have to learn to play a different way," Bruschi continued. "And if there's anyone that knows what kind of player you are, he's on the staff now who's just been hired and that's Matt Patricia."
Patricia re-joined the Patriots he was fired by the Lions midway through the 2020 season, but whether or not that is an issue in the Stafford sweepstakes is unknown.
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As of Thursday afternoon, the Patriots have the third-best odds at landing Stafford (+500), behind the 49ers (+100) and the Colts (+350).
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