Will this be Matthew Stafford‘s final season with the Detroit Lions?
With the Lions getting off to a 1-3 start, there has been more and more speculation about the team moving on from Stafford following the 2020 season. In fact, there has even been some talk about Stafford being dealt prior to the NFL trade deadline.
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Now, we are only a quarter of the way through the season, and with the schedule lightening up over the next seven games or so, there is certainly a chance that Stafford and the Lions turn things around and go on a run to get themselves back into contention.
But what if the Lions continue to lose? What if Stafford continues to struggle?
If that happens, I could absolutely see the Lions looking to trade him prior to the 2021 NFL Draft.
According to Tim Kelly of Radio.com, Stafford could end up being the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers in 2021.
This past Friday, we took a deep dive on Stafford’s future with the Lions, with the suggestion that if there is a new coaching staff in Detroit in 2021, it may be best for all parties involved to move Stafford.
It is entirely possible that Stafford remains with the Lions for the 2021 season, especially if they aren’t bad enough to secure one of the top two picks in next year’s NFL Draft. But the Lions could trade Stafford before the NFL Draft and would have to take on $19 million in dead cap money for the 2021 season, a large but perhaps manageable amount for a team that may be rebuilding.
There’s been a feeling from many NFL observers that Stafford is a Hall of Fame caliber talent that’s been held back by an organization whose deep-rooted issues predate his arrival. If he was paired with Shanahan, it’s not hard to imagine Stafford hoisting a Lombardi Trophy.
The 49ers made it all the way to the Super Bowl this past season but it seems more and more like they are not in love with Jimmy Garoppolo as their starting quarterback, so they certainly could be looking for a new starter.
Nation, do you think the Lions will trade Stafford following the 2020 season? Do you think they should trade him?
