The NFL offseason is here and the QB carosel is expected to move very fast. While we all expected the likes of Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, and Cam Newton to potentailly switch teams in the coming weeks, nobody saw this one coming. According to local Detroit reporter Ian Vickers, the Lions have been in trade talks to deal Matthew Stafford to another team. No other details are mentioned, but Stafford's wife, Kelly, posted a reaction to the rumors on her Instagram, saying she wouldn't mind moving to California if the Lions were indeed set to trade the franchise QB.
It's worth noting that Lions GM Bob Quinn has already shot down the rumors of a trade, calling them 100% false. While that's nice of Quinn to do, NFL GMs lie all the time and this is just the nature of the business. Remember when the Arizona Cardinals were 100% not taking Kyler Murray last year and fully believed in Josh Rosen? Yeah, so while Quinn's quick statement might downplay the rumors a little bit, this isn't going away and it wouldn't be a shock at all if the Lions were indeed shopping Stafford. Detroit currenlty owns the 3rd pick in the upcoming draft and might be looking to put the franchise in the hands of another QB, maybe someone like Tua Tagovailoa.
With what was already expected to be a wild NFL offseason, this is just another major domino that could fall in the coming weeks. As we wait to see where some of these elite QBs might end up, the Complex Sports squad put together a list of five NFL teams that should seriously consider trading for Matthew Stafford in the coming weeks.
Los Angeles Chargers
Well, they need a QB and Stafford's wife is already on board to go to California, so this one would make a lot of sense. The Chargers already have a pretty stacked roster and adding a QB like Stafford could surely bring them back to the playoff hunt in the AFC. It's unclear what sort of compensation the Lions might be looking for, but the Chargers would be foolish not to investigate this.
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts are in need of a new franchise QB after Andrew Luck's surprise retirement before the start of last season. While Jacoby Brissett did an admirable job leading the Colts, adding someone like Stafford to their roster could make them instant contenders.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Are the Buccaneers really tied to Jameis Winston? Do they really want to pay him this offseason? Guess we'll find out soon, but with rumors that Philip Rivers has already been linked to the Bucs, it seems like they're open to going in a new direction. And while Rivers would be a nice upgrade for Tampa Bay, why not go after Stafford, who is six years younger and surley has more in the tank.
Las Vegas Raiders
It's pretty clear that the Raiders want to make a splash for their first season in Las Vegas. They've already been linked to Tom Brady's free agency, though it's fair to wonder if Brady would make that move. If the Raiders do strikeout on Brady, a backup plan to go after Stafford wouldn't be bad at all.
Carolina Panthers
With Cam Newton possibly on his way out of Carolina, Matt Rhule and company will need to make a big splash at the QB position. Stafford is a proven commidty in the NFL, and when healthy, is more than capable of leading a team to the playoffs. The Panthers already have an explosive ground game behind Christian McCaffrey, which would only be strengthened by the addition of someone like Stafford.
