Matt Stafford is the suckiest suck to ever suck

[dwt1]

IF the Lions offered Stafford up for trade, I can PROMISE you a handful of teams would come calling.

Because as awful as you think Stafford is, at least 20 starting QBs in the NFL are worse. Go ahead and actually look at the starters who took the field yesterday and be able to honestly tell me that Stafford is worse than half of them. You'd be a liar.

Who cares if there are twenty NFL QBs worse than Mediocre Matty - the only think that matters is that he'll NEVER win a playoff game. But yes, be happy that there are 20 QBs potentially worse than him......hurray!!!!!!

[dwt1]

You're not wrong. But at the same time, it is very hard to ignore in that same stretch that the Lions actively targeted QBs that did not project to be starters while ignoring ANY prospect that did. (Example, rather than take Connor Cook or Dak Prescott in the 4th round, they drafted Killebrew who has amounted to nothing and then waited two more rounds to select Jake Rudock who was specifically projected as a career backup). Even when the Lions were actively looking for a second QB, they went out of their way to avoid acquiring anyone who could have made Stafford's seat the slightest bit warm.

Yes, it's not easy to upgrade from Matt Stafford, but the Lions have so far made it quite clear they have no intention of trying, either.

That's because they need to use all the high round drat picks to find player to make Mediocre Matty not who he is.......mediocre.

[dwt1]

Since free agency began in earnest, there have been very few places that had quarterbacks of equal ability. You have one firmly entrenched starter and a capable backup if you are lucky. You might have a later round flier you are developing in the case of injury or to trade later. Sometimes your capable backup is tweener between the backup and a starter like you have with Fitzmagic. He lives in a suitcase and doesn't stay around very often.

If your QB is aging, you might draft a successor, but even then that is an increasingly sketchy proposition if you look at JimmyG and Brady. If you look at how that situation unfolded, even the great Tom Brady got Jimmy G out of there and he's 40 years old.

If there is a true QB competition that means you really don't have a QB. Its very rare that you will ever see a Peete/Kramer/Ware situation anymore. Back in the day you needed two QBs because quarterbacks got injured all the time in the 80s and 90s. The backups got a lot more reps than they do now.

I bring this up because it is a very prevalent theme in Metro Detroit sports radio, that the Lions are afraid to bring in competition for Stafford. The truth is no NFL brings in a QB to compete with the starter anymore.

[Futureshock]

Taylor wasn't even on the roster, they traded for him for the expressed desire for him to be a one year QB, it is not in anyway the same situation. When Mahomes was drafted Alex Smith was on the last year of his contract and was due a big raise that they were unwilling to pay for. Stafford is on contract through 2022.

Lamar Jackson was a first round pick, the Ravens think they have value there. They are looking to the future. But he's not playing, he isn't pushing Flacco and the Ravens have a 1st rounder sitting on the bench. . What are you trying to accomplish with the Lions? The time you think you cannot compete with Stafford you must cut bait and start over. But if you think you can compete you need to use the picks to actually compete by drafting players who will play. If you are drafting a QB to spur Stafford with competition you need to get rid of Stafford. Plain and simple.

But I would add that they are finding ways to get him snaps every game. And, it's no secret that Flacco is on his last days there.

This should be the blueprint for replacing MS. Take a mid-round pick and get a QB that's a duel threat. If you're picking one that late he will obviously have blemishes, at least he can make something good happen on his feet. Then develop him. <Lol. I can't even think of the Lions and development>

You probably can't get rid of him until after next year unless you're going full rebuild and getting rid of half the team. The cap hit from his signing bonus would force them to cut additional players to get under the cap. And forget adding any FAs.

https://overthecap.com/player/matt-stafford/1060/

Current Contract

2017	29	$1,000,000 $1,000,000	$15,500,000	$0	$0	$0	$16,500,000	9.9%
2018	30	$9,500,000 $16,000,000	$10,000,000	$6,500,000	$500,000	$0	$26,500,000	15.0%		$75,000,000	($48,500,000)
2019	31	$13,500,000 $19,000,000	$10,000,000	$5,500,000	$500,000	$0	$29,500,000	15.5%		$49,000,000	($19,500,000)
2020	32	$15,000,000	$10,000,000	$6,000,000	$500,000	$0	$31,500,000	15.8%		$20,000,000	$11,500,000
2021	33	$9,500,000	$10,000,000	$10,000,000	$500,000	$0	$30,000,000	--		$10,000,000	$20,000,000
2022	34	$12,500,000	$0	$10,000,000	$500,000	$0	$23,000,000	--		$0	$23,000,000
Total		$61,000,000	$55,500,000	$38,000,000	$2,500,000	$0	$157,000,000

The last 2 columns are dead money and cap savings. Numbers in parenthesis are negative numbers.

[TheLondonLion]

[froot loops]

Nope, they ain't cutting Flacco. They would have a huge cap hit as well.

[Marko69]

But yes, be happy that there are 20 QBs potentially worse than him......hurray!!!!!!

And to the ignorers; only half the post quoted. Keep ones rugs on!

[froot loops]

Both, quarterbacks need reps. Holding a clipboard does nothing to make you any better. There actually might be more quality quarterbacks out there but if they don't get snaps, you aren't going to identify them. Not having the World League around anymore hurts them as well, it produced a few quarterbacks who wouldn't have otherwise got a chance.

It doesn't make sense that their would be less talented quarterbacks now than their was in the 80s or 90s. There should be more.

Because of free agency and the franchise tag, the salaries of quarterbacks are much bigger. There is a clear differentiation between starter and backup now than there was 20 years ago.

[dwt1]

[Futureshock]

Both, quarterbacks need reps. Holding a clipboard does nothing to make you any better. There actually might be more quality quarterbacks out there but if they don't get snaps, you aren't going to identify them. Not having the World League around anymore hurts them as well, it produced a few quarterbacks who wouldn't have otherwise got a chance.

It doesn't make sense that their would be less talented quarterbacks now than their was in the 80s or 90s. There should be more.

Because of free agency and the franchise tag, the salaries of quarterbacks are much bigger. There is a clear differentiation between starter and backup now than there was 20 years ago.

The guy running the scout team offense is probably working with better plays.Cheers!

[TheLondonLion]

[wcfwtf]

Fair to say? Through your prizm, not mine. 50/50 it could have come down to kicking. Does Stafford get the credit if if Prater hits a 58 yard field goal and their kicker had probably lost his confidence

[TheLondonLion]

[chemiclord]

Yeah, I'd say Carolina's decision to go for two almost assuredly had more to do with their lack of faith in their kicker and than fear Stafford was going to throw 5-yard passes with a minute left.

[froot loops]

Going for two is fine, they even had a good play, Newton just blew it. I think Riverboat Ron was just trying to be aggressive.