Lions Fielding “Significant” Trade Interest For Matthew Stafford

According to Ian Rapoport, nearly a third of the league has reached out to the Lions about a trade for QB Matthew Stafford. 

Reports surfaced over the weekend that the Lions and Stafford mutually agreed to facilitate a trade in the coming weeks and it didn’t take long for teams to start reaching out

The expectation has been that it would take at least a first-round pick for the Lions to agree to trade Stafford and considering the number of teams that could use a quarterback of his caliber, it would not be surprising to see Detroit secure multiple early-round picks.  

Tom Pelissero mentioned that a trade will likely be completed for Stafford prior to the fifth day of the 2021 league year, which happens to be when Stafford is due a $10 million roster bonus.

By trading Stafford, the Lions would carry $19 million in dead money while netting $14 million in cap space and $20 million in cash.

Some teams worth keeping an eye on for Stafford, according to Pelissero, include the Broncos, Colts, Panthers, 49ers, Patriots and Washington.

Stafford, 32, is a former first-round pick of the Lions back in 2009. He was in the final year of his five-year, $76.5 million contract when he and the Lions agreed to a five-year, $135 million extension back in 2017.

In 2020, Stafford appeared in all 16 games for the Lions and completed 64.2 percent of his passes for 4,084 yards, 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also rushed for 112 yards.

We’ll have more regarding a potential Stafford trade as the news is available.