According to Albert Breer, the Carolina Panthers had an offer on the table for QB Matthew Stafford that would have sent the No. 8 overall pick to the Lions.
Breer adds the deal also included a later round pick. That would have given Detroit the No. 7 and No. 8 overall picks in this year’s draft.
However, they elected to go with the Rams’ offer of 2022 and 2023 firsts, a third-round pick in 2021 and QB Jared Goff.
While the Panthers weren’t able to land Stafford, it’s noteworthy how aggressive they were in their pursuit of him and worth keeping in mind for Carolina regarding other potential quarterback additions this offseason.
Carolina was one of a number of teams that also bid more than a first-round pick on Stafford.
The draft should offer solutions for some teams and there could be fallout from there, but the free-agent pool isn’t all that deep in terms of starting options. As of now, Jameis Winston, Cam Newton, Mitchell Trubisky, Tyrod Taylor, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Andy Dalton and Jacoby Brissett represent the best available options come March.
Deshaun Watson could still force a trade out of Houston, which might lead to other quarterbacks being available.
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.
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