A report has released saying Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions mutually agreed to part ways. Here is why the Washington Football Team should attempt to trade for Stafford.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions have mutually agreed to part ways. It is a report that makes complete sense.
The Lions recently hired a new head coach, Dan Campbell, and a new GM, Brad Holmes. As they enter yet another rebuild it makes sense that Stafford would want to go a place ready to win-now.
It seems that the Lions will grant the former No. 1 overall picks wish. With the seventh overall pick and added draft compensation via a Stafford trade, they will have an opportunity to draft Stafford’s replacement in a strong quarterback class.
Why Matthew Stafford fits in with the Washington Football Team
So what does this mean for the Washington Football Team? Matthew Stafford provides a quarterback that can solve the long-standing problem for the franchise.
Stafford would be the perfect quarterback to make Washington a contender again. A combination of poor play and injuries forced Washington to play four different quarterbacks in 2020. It makes perfect sense for the Washington Football Team to be one of the leading candidates. Here’s why that’s the case.
Washington believes they are close to being true contenders
In a recent article by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, he said he believes Washington would be heavily involved in the quarterback sweepstakes. He said the belief in Washington is that they are close, and a quarterback is the biggest missing piece.
What this tells me is that Ron Rivera and his coaching staff do not love the idea of developing another rookie quarterback. This makes me believe that Washington will be looking to acquire a veteran in either free agency or via trade.
Matthew Stafford, a veteran who is still a really good quarterback and who moves the needle of your franchise, is now available. By acquiring Stafford, Washington does not have to wait for a rookie quarterback to develop. Instead, they can just plug in a really good quarterback to pair with an improving defense.
There’s no waiting required with Stafford. Washington would officially be in win-now mode. And that would be music to the ears of Ron Rivera and Co.
The Martin Mayhew connection
This is an obvious one. Just this past week, the Washington Football Team hired Martin Mayhew to be the team’s new GM. He is the same person who was the GM that drafted Stafford No. 1 overall in Detroit in 2009.
Martin Mayhew once said, “If we had 22 Matthew Staffords, we’d win a championship every single year…” That statement alone speaks volumes to what Mayhew thinks of Stafford. He really likes him.
I would bet that Mayhew would be on board for trading for Stafford. Some may ask, why does this matter? Of course a new general manager would want to trade for a really good quarterback with a roster devoid of good quarterback play, right?
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Well, in Washington, acquiring a quarterback that everyone is on board with is important. Too often it has been one man’s decision, like Dan Snyder’s involvement in the Donavan McNabb trade or the Dwayne Haskins selection or Bruce Allen with the Alex Smith trade.
When Washington has previously acquired a quarterback, it has, too often, never been a consensus. There has been a disconnect between the coach and the front office.
In this new coach-centric approach, with Ron Rivera being the head honcho, acquiring Stafford would signal everyone is on board. It would mean Rivera signed off on the trade, agreeing with Mayhew’s praise of Stafford.
The Martin Mayhew connection should give Washington heightened interest in Stafford. It may also prove to be incredible foresight by Ron Rivera in his decision to roll with Mayhew as GM.
However, most of all, it will prove that if he is acquired, everyone agrees with the decision. For the first time in a long time, both the head coach and the head of the player personnel would be in lockstep. That’s a good sign for the synergy of this football team.
Stafford won’t cost as much as Watson
While Stafford’s cap hit is similar to Watson’s next year at $33M, the cost to acquire Stafford vs. Watson is very different. And yes, I recognize Watson is better than Stafford and younger. But the baseline offer for someone like Watson would be, at a minimum, three first-round picks.
And given Washington not having a high draft pick or an intriguing young QB, it would also require one or multiple star players. It may require an ultimatum that Chase Young or another star defensive lineman needs to be included. That is a steep price to pay.
Stafford, on the other hand, won’t cost nearly as much due to his age. He will be 33 at the start of the season. While there will almost certainly be a bidding war for Matthew Stafford, it won’t reach the heights that a bidding war for Watson would bring.
And Stafford is still a borderline top-10 quarterback. So, Washington can get a really good quarterback without completely mortgaging the future.
Stafford makes perfect sense to acquire for the Washington Football Team. With a team that wants to win now, he offers quality play while giving Washington flexibility to continue to improve the team. And, above all else, it would not be a move solely manufactured by Dan Snyder, a tactic that has failed one too many times.
What would Matthew Stafford cost?
I think acquiring Stafford will cost a team their current first-round pick. And a bidding war will most likely make Stafford go for more. An additional high pick plus other mid and late-round picks may be necessary.
Detroit will want reasonable compensation to give them the needed assets to trade up for Stafford’s replacement if need be.
So what would be a reasonable offer to get Stafford? A baseline offer would be this year’s first straight-up for Stafford. However, Washington should be willing to offer their 2022 second and the San Francisco third this year on top of the first. Maybe more.
Washington Commanders
This may seem like a steep price to pay for what will be a 33-year old quarterback. The past trades of Donavan McNabb and Alex Smith still haunt this franchise. With that said, Stafford is much better than Smith and McNabb were at the time they were traded.
Stafford is fresh off a season where he threw for over 4,000 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. In 2019, he was on pace for 4,998 yards, 38 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions before an injury forced him to miss half the season. The team went 3-4-1 with him as the starter in 2019. Without him? 0-8.
Stafford is also very accurate. According to Next Gen Stats, at almost every area of the field, he is at least league-average in terms of accuracy, and on deep passes 20+ yards down the field along the sideline, he is well above league average.
As you can see, Matthew Stafford consistently produced with a poor franchise. He was in fact, as 2019 shows, what kept Detroit from having their record reflect the poor state of the franchise.
While Stafford does not have the playoff success of other elite quarterbacks, he still is well worth the compensation I laid out. And as we have seen before, quarterbacks can play into their late 30s and early 40s. Stafford still has really good years left in the tank.
Washington needs a ceiling raiser. Stafford is just that.
Is Washington a viable candidate?
Yes. I believe Washington is. For starters, Washington has an abundance of cap space. They currently have around $35 million in cap space. They are expected to add on an additional $15 million in cap space, that rolls over from last year. That puts Washington at about $50 million in cap space.
As tough as it also may be, Washington can release Alex Smith and save around $13.5 million in cap space. He could also just retire outright and take his contract off Washington’s books.
It is needless to say that Washington can take on Matthew Stafford. They can even work out an extension that lowers the $33 million cap hit for Stafford in 2021.
Does Washington’s draft capital compete with other teams? I think they do, especially considering they have the extra San Francisco third-round pick.
Some other teams I expect to be viable candidates are the Broncos, 49ers, Patriots, and Colts. Washington has a higher pick than the Colts. The Broncos and 49ers may find it too steep of a price to give up the ninth (Denver) or 12th (San Francisco) pick for Stafford. Especially considering they both have quarterbacks that they either are still attempting to develop in Drew Lock or another viable starting option in Jimmy Garropolo.
The two teams I think that will serve as the biggest competition are the Patriots and Colts. They have additional leverage over Washington as they are out of conference foes. However, Washington does not play in the same division as the Lions, so how much that will affect things is too tough to say.
I think the Washington Football Team has a good a chance as any team does. The fact that they do not have as high draft capital as others may hurt. Being an interconference foe may serve as an obstacle as well. Maybe Washington will have to overpay slightly.
If it comes to that though, it should not deter Washington. A quarterback like Stafford is worth it.
Closing Thoughts
The Washington Football Team is in desperate need of a quarterback. As of now, they would have Alex Smith (if he doesn’t retire), restricted free agents Kyle Allen and Taylor Heinicke (who will likely be brought back), and Steven Montez. It is a meager quarterback room.
That is why Stafford is perfect for the Washington Football Team. He won’t cost as much as Deshaun Watson but is well worth the 19th pick this year. And even slightly more if necessary.
Stafford would overnight accelerate Washington from a middling team to a very dangerous, possibly a contending team. Stafford coupled with this defense is scary.
The Washington Football Team should be involved in the Matthew Stafford trade talks. They should be on the phone making offers as soon as possible.
Making a move for someone like Stafford would provide stability at the most important position in sports. Ask the Chicago Bears or Jacksonville Jaguars how it went when they kept their quarterback position unsolved and relied solely on an elite defense.
Stafford is a perfect match for the Washington Football Team. Ron Rivera and Martin Mayhew should be interested.