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Could Matthew Stafford be on the move in 2021? The Detroit Lions franchise quarterback could follow general manager Bob Quinn and coach Matt Patricia out the door after they were fired amid a spiraling 4-7 season, paving the way for a new regime and their handpicked passer to step in.
So how could the New Orleans Saints fit in? The Athletic’s Mike Sando listed the Saints among a group of teams that should make sense for Stafford in the spring, writing:
“Drew Brees, despite tossing 40 touchdown passes with four interceptions in his past 16 starts, is winding down physically and might not project as a full-season starter if he decides to keep playing. Sean Payton loves Taysom Hill, but does he really want to risk being stuck with a one-dimensional offense for the long-term if Hill does not develop? Jameis Winston is also on the roster, but his off-the-charts interception rate in Tampa was no aberration. Winston threw far too many picks in college as well. Stafford is the more appealing alternative if the Saints can keep open their championship window the next couple seasons.”
It makes sense, from a personnel perspective. Stafford is, like Brees, one of the most prolific passers in the NFL history (except for being nearly a decade younger, with fewer records to his name). He’s one of the few quarterbacks to join Brees in the 5,000 passing yards club, and he could open the Saints offense to a degree that hasn’t been seen in years with his arm strength and accuracy.
And the Saints have the weapons to set him up for success. With Michael Thomas leading the charge at wide receiver and two quality back in Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray, plus an offensive line filled with Pro Bowlers and a defense that’s finally put all the pieces together, Stafford just might be the best match New Orleans can hope for in 2021.
But there’s a catch, of course. Any team that trades for him next year must take on salary cap hits of about $10.1 million in 2021 and $18.05 million in 2022, leaving Detroit with a whopping $24.85 million in dead money to deal with. So prying him away, even if the Lions are motivated to open a vacancy on top of their depth chart, won’t be easy. The Saints would have to put together quite a trade package to pull it off.
But that might be the least of New Orleans’ hurdles. They’re already over the 2021 salary cap by a staggering margin, and will need plenty of creative accounting just to become cap-compliable. It can be done and has been done before, but it won’t be easy for the Saints. Adding Stafford to the equation just might be the 232-pound straw that breaks the camel’s back.
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