In a piece recently published in The Athletic, writers took a look at the biggest offseason move for each NFL team and for the Detroit Lions, Nick Baumgarner wrote about a move that broke the heart of many Lions’ fans.
That move, of course, was trading QB Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams.
Baumgarner noted that though the move was painful for many fans, all things considered, it was a move that had to be made by Lions’ GM Brad Holmes.
From The Athletic:
For some fans (others not so much) it might have been the most painful move, but the Lions’ decision to trade Matthew Stafford with a high emphasis on future picks coming back was the best decision the franchise has made not only this year but probably in the last several. New GM Brad Holmes was likely aided by Stafford’s decision to ask ownership for a trade to a contender, but this was something the franchise had to do at this point. The roster, based on cap structure, was not going to be talented enough for Stafford to drag toward playoff contention in at least the next two years. The Lions had just five draft picks before the Stafford trade. He’s 33. He’s had some pretty significant back problems. The move had to be made. The Lions got two first-round picks and a third, and while taking Jared Goff’s contract is hardly ideal, it gives Detroit, if nothing else, a bridge QB and, more importantly, extra premium picks (six in the first two rounds over the next two years) to build on. — Nick Baumgardner
Nick nailed this. Moving on from Stafford was 100% the correct move and this is coming from the biggest Stafford supporter on the planet.
