What is selling the farm? Detroit is currently in position to have its pick of QBs in the 2016 draft. This abysmal season could be the fast track to rebuilding. If they could land a first for Stafford & a second for Johnson, coupled with $20+mil in cap savings they can reload in a hurry. As for us, odds are that we can't get anything better with a pick in the early 20s.
Mac loves to talk about football in economy terms, around the draft he threw tons of "opportunity costs", "optimal returns" and stuff of the nature. This would be the perfect time to "buy low" on Stafford. A young, number 1 overall pick with tons of talent who's being ruined by coaching and a shit team. Their coaching staff is disintegrating, too and they just threw him into a game with a new offense they tried to install mid week. They might have the #1 pick so they could be looking to move on or even tank to get it. They're on their bye so they could prep another QB for their next game. The stars all align there. The obstacles are: what are we trading, and how do we afford it? If those 2 can be sorted out (a huge if) I can see both sides liking that deal.
Stafford behind a good o-line and a solid running game is money. If there is a chance to pick that dude up you do it. Get err done Ta... Mac
This is a non-impact trade in my opinion because D'Brick isn't what's wrong with the Jets and Thomas, no matter how good he is won't fix what's wrong if we swapped them, even if it was an even up deal. Swapping D'Brick for a QB and then swapping a pick for Thomas would be a different story. Probably the only hope of getting anybody other than a journeyman in here at QB is to trade Mo. Richardson is just as valuable in terms of play value but nobody is going to give up a good QB for him due to his lack of judgment off of the field and general maturity issues.
why would the Lions trade Stafford? Is he actually on the block or is this just another hypothetical?
Everyone thinks he's broken because they took away his toys and now the team isn't good anymore. The coaching staff is a mess and they're going to have a top 5 pick. There's a decent chance they're looking to move on from him, though all we can go off of are speculation and rumors from low ranking sources, who are probably low ranking for a reason.
We need to do something....the QB of the future is not on this team and the way the season is currently going were not going to be picking high enough in the draft to get Goff or Cook
The Lions might trade Stafford because he's 36-49 for them in 7 seasons and hasn't made progress with them since 2011, which was his big breakout season. He's actually regressed since then and he's averaging a huge number of throws a season. If they decided they were going to be rebuilding with a top 3 QB pick I could see them trading Stafford at this point. I'm not sure Stafford would pass a physical though. I'm guessing there's a lot of damage in his shoulder at this point from all the wear and tear and the Lions probably wouldn't shop him for that reason alone. Stafford is getting paid $17M next year with a cap number of $22.5M. The Lions would clear $11M in cap space with a trade and they'd be paying the rookie peanuts compared to what they will be paying Stafford. If they think 4-12 is a realistic possibility next year after the wipeout this year I'm guessing dumping Stafford's salary would be seen as a big plus. You can go 4-12 with anybody at QB and still have it be the same bad year.
It's just an option to consider. D'Brick isn't the same player. They need a complete overhaul of the O line within the next 2 years except for Carpenter. When rumors circulate that Thomas is available in trade I'd listen and try to be creative. Trades don't happen that often and guys like Thomas don't come in the draft very often either. I agree it's not solving the QB problem today but it is replacing an aging part to ensure that the next QB is protected on his blind side. As constructed this is a win now team with a win later QB that is either still learning (Petty) or not yet drafted. Mac needs to keep a view of the big picture (replacing O line, linebackers) in addition to the immediate QB need.
Thomas is like a year younger than Ferguson. 31+ is still the fall down area for most NFL players, even the stars.
On further reflection I doubt Stafford can be had at any price right now. I'm guessing the Lions hierarchy has the clamps on Mayhew and Caldwell at this point because they are contemplating a total overhaul of the organization. They're probably not going to want to let the old regime make the Stafford decision unless the offer is so overloaded that the Lions can't say no. Like a Herschel Walker type deal.
It would be a sucker punch if we traded Brick for Stafford. It'd be a declining offensive lineman for a 27 year old franchise QB. The only negative to trading for Stafford is his salary but it would be negated by shaking Brick's salary. There's no way they'd do that, but it's a dream.
I was thinking this as well, but new regime often equals new QB. Though they'll probably want to let the new guys make the call before making the move.
Oh man, trade D'Brick for Stafford and then let Mo go for Thomas. That would be a great sequence at this point. Of course it's all fantasy football because the Lions aren't trading a QB for a LT 5 years older and really nobody makes these types of deals in the NFL anyway, not even the Jets, Browns and Lions.
They'd have had to fire Mayhew and Caldwell yesterday and promoted from within at GM to make the deal a possibility.
