Lions put an end to any speculation they'd trade QB Matthew Stafford
There might be more quarterbacks on the move than usual this offseason, but Matthew Stafford won’t be one of them.
Somehow, a rumor started that the Detroit Lions could look into trading Stafford. The Lions don’t have any problems trading players, Stafford will be 32 years old, the team hasn’t seemed to intent on maximizing his talents since coach Matt Patricia was hired and Stafford is coming off an injury-filled season.
But any team looking to make a call should save their time. Stafford is not going anywhere, as long as the Lions are to be believed.
Lions: Matthew Stafford won’t be traded
Lions GM Bob Quinn made it clear that he is not trading his quarterback.
“I called Matthew and I said, ‘Listen, I haven’t had one conversation. I’m not trying to — we’re not trading you. Period,’ ” Quinn said, according to the Detroit Free Press. “And he was great. He was like, ‘Yeah, I don’t want to go anywhere.’ ”
Just to make sure, Quinn doubled down on the denial.
“In terms of the whole rumor on Stafford, I think I’ve texted a lot of people here that it’s like 100 percent false,” Quinn said. “If we need to add a third exclamation point, we will. So I don’t know where that came from.”
That makes sense, because the idea that the Lions should trade Stafford was strange from the start.
Lions brass needs a winning season
While Stafford hasn’t exactly carried the Lions to a lot of success, the team around him has a lot to do with that. Stafford has been up and down, but the Lions aren’t better off without him. Patricia and Quinn should feel they can’t afford to hit the reset button after two straight losing seasons. Their job security is a question in Detroit heading into this season.
Despite the Lions’ insistence on being a running team, Stafford was on his way to his best season before fracturing bones in his back and landing on injured reserve. He had 2,499 yards, 19 touchdowns, five interceptions and a career-best 106 rating through eight games.
The Lions aren’t known for their great personnel moves, but trading a quarterback in his early 30s who is coming off what could have been a career year wouldn’t be smart business. At least they realize that.
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