Will the real Matthew Stafford please stand up?
Is he really the fastest quarterback to reach 45,000 passing yards in NFL history, or is he the 20th-ranked active QB in yards per attempt and completion percentage, and 15th in passer rating?
Is he truly Captain Comeback with a phenomenal 38 game-winning drives in just 12 seasons, or is he a meltdown machine who has a disturbing 23 pick-sixes?
This town is clearly divided after living through the Stafford experience since 2009.
Currently, Stafford is a favorite of the media, particularly nationally, the theme being he is a victim of the Lions’ losing culture. The notion is his status would rise to elite with a genuine contender.
But what do NFL teams really think?
We are about to find out.
It seemed new general manager Brad Holmes didn’t signal he is shopping Stafford as much as he kept on the table the possibility of not turning down an offer that is too good to refuse.
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New head coach Dan Campbell’s contract is reportedly for six years. It’s not like other franchises were banging down the door to hire him. Why such long term? The Lions are at ground zero. They have to give Campbell a chance.
The QB market figures to be volatile this off season. Deshuan Watson’s displeasure with ownership in Houston could force a trade. Phillip Rivers has announced his retirement, so Indianapolis appears to be an ideal landing spot for Stafford. Drew Brees will likely retire as well. So another possibility is New Orleans. Washington has an excellent defense, but is in need of a QB after the Dewayne Haskins debacle. New England might be interested. Perhaps San Francisco.
Obviously, the status of Carson Wentz in Philadelphia and Jimmy Garoppolo in San Francisco are up in the air.
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This is juxtaposed with a veteran QB market that could be crowded. Atlanta holds the fourth overall draft pick and likely will take Matt Ryan’s successor. If you’re the Saints, Colts or Washington, who would you prefer, Ryan or Stafford? More importantly from the Lions’ perspective, what would be the return?
If you take emotion out of the equation, which is a big part of a GM’s ultimate honest evaluation, Stafford is an asset. It’s about cost vs. future production leveraged against the possibility of much-needed draft capital.
The Lions have just five selections in this draft. Their cap situation is far less than ideal. The roster, except for a couple good pieces offensively, is hollow.
Giving Stafford away would be foolish, but it just takes one team willing to buy, and an astute general manager pushing the envelope.
We’ll see if that is, perhaps, Brad Holmes. And just as paramount, whether ownership is willing to let him do it.