Getty Matthew Stafford fires up a pass vs. the Vikings.
Matthew Stafford is a quarterback with an uncertain future with the Detroit Lions, and where he ends up next if he does get traded could be anyone’s guess at this point in time.
So far, a popular option in the court of public opinion seems to be the Indianapolis Colts. Many have suggested the Colts as a top Stafford fit this offseason, and another major voice is starting to bang the drum for Stafford to go there.
On a recent episode of the Pat McAfee Show, host Pat McAfee explained why Stafford makes so much sense for the Colts. As he said, he expects Stafford to get traded to Indianapolis this offseason and it would be a good move because of the quarterback’s talent.
IF Stafford is leaving Detroit he is the guy you want in Indianapolis #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE
McAfee said:
“Look for Matthew Stafford, a man who has never complained about his situation in Detroit which is we all know is damn near similar to what is going on in Cincinnati, never complained not once. Not a peep. Now granted he has. been paid very handsomely. Could buy the city he plays for numerous times I assume. He goes out there, broken neck, broken back, broken thumb, doesn’t matter, all he’s going to do is go break records. So much so they actually called him ‘Pad Statford’ on an interesting cartoon thing because his stats are so f**** good and the team isn’t that great which leads to a lot of Detroit fans saying ‘hey listen, this guy is good. He deserves a lot better. He is a superstar for us and or team and organization for whatever reason stinks, we get good players, good coaches and our organization stinks.’ And it’s because they are cursed. And they are cured because the football guys dropped dimes and suck it signs on them when they decided to f*** over Calvin Johnson on his way out. So Matthew Stafford’s going to go to the Colts, look for that to happen.”
Obviously, this is merely the opinion of McAfee, and it’s not a lock that Stafford gets traded to Indianapolis or anywhere else. In fact, odds could favor Stafford staying put, so this is simply to say that McAfee wants to see Stafford in Indianapolis playing for the Colts very badly.
Another NFL Insider Pushes for Matthew Stafford to Colts
Where Stafford could go figures to be a hot topic in the minds of many, and it will no doubt be interesting to see what Detroit’s new-look front office eventually thinks about the big decision at quarterback. According to some, the best decision is to deal Stafford. But where? Few concrete ideas have been thrown out until recently.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Indianapolis Colts make the most sense for a Stafford trade, and could be a team the Lions should look to send the quarterback to when all is said and done.
Here’s a look at part of what Fowler wrote in an insider piece about that:
“The Colts can choose to run it back with Rivers. But the long-term answer at quarterback might finally await them.
“I think they signed Philip Rivers to one year for a reason — they saw it as a stopgap,” said an AFC exec of Rivers, who has passed for 4,005 yards with 23 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. “He can still play, but mobility is an issue. They’ve been pretty methodical and waiting for the right time to strike. This could be the time [at quarterback].”
Enter Stafford, whose trade viability has never felt more palpable after 12 years in Detroit.”
It’s certain that Stafford would be an appealing trade candidate, but would the Lions give up on him? That’s the most important thing to consider and watch at this point in time. A team like Indianapolis would be an interesting fit because Stafford could be a final piece there, but there is no guarantee the Lions want to give him up no matter how many folks are beating the drum for it to happen.
Why Colts Could Make Sense for Matthew Stafford
Indianapolis didn’t address the need for a quarterback in the 2020 draft, instead choosing to sign Philip Rivers to their roster. That decision hasn’t hurt them, as the Colts are playoff bound again. Arguably, though, the team could be even better with someone like Stafford throwing the football for them, which is where McAfee gets his idea about the quarterback coming into the mix potentially. With Stafford, the Colts could be a perennial contender, which is why many want to see him end up there.
Whether Stafford ends up in Indianapolis or not is up in the air, but it’s clear many want to see it happen.
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