Clint Lamb
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Matthew Stafford will more than likely be with a new team to start the 2021 season, as the quarterback and the Detroit Lions have mutually agreed to part ways. At this point, it’s just a matter of figuring out which new team that’s going to be.
Several NFL franchises make sense for the longtime Lion, but Jordan Dajani of CBS Sports highlighted five potential landing spots on Monday morning. Those teams are as follows:
- Washington Football Team
- Indianapolis Colts
- San Francisco 49ers
- New England Patriots
- Denver Broncos
All of these seem like logical destinations. I’ll also add that the Pittsburgh Steelers are another logical landing spot — at least potentially. It will ultimately come down to what happens with Ben Roethlisberger, but Stafford would be an upgrade at this point.
Dajani does a great job diving into why each of the five teams included in his article make sense. Whether it’s a connection to the general manager or simply a major need for the franchise, each one of those teams would not be surprising.
The most intriguing of that group, however, are the Indianapolis Colts. One of the major issues with Stafford’s time in Detroit has been the offensive line. It hasn’t been unable to provide adequate protection for him — at least not consistently.
Stafford has taken a beating as a result, but that could be resolved in Indianapolis.
Yes, the Colts are looking for a replacement for longtime left tackle Anthony Castonzo, and that is a concern. If they can find a serviceable replacement though, the rest of the line is rock solid.
Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly, Mark Glowinski and Braden Smith have all been fantastic, and that unit could provide some much-needed stability in front of Stafford. Plus, the supporting cast at the skill positions is at least a start.
Jonathan Taylor, Nyheim Hines, T.Y. Hilton, Michael Pittman Jr. and Jack Doyle all have varying skill sets that could be valuable for a quarterback like Stafford, though a couple more pieces are needed. But it’s a really nice start when adding in the offensive line and a strong complementary defense.
The Colts already traded a first-round pick for a talented player in 2020. His name: DeForest Bucker, and he proved to be well worth it. Maybe the front office can make it happen again.
Follow Clint Lamb on Twitter @ClintRLamb.
It has got to be the Colts.
There aren’t any offensive wheapons on the Patriots or the 49ers (outside of George Kittle) for them to be appealing
As a Steelers fan, I hope they go in a different direction. While Stafford is an upgrade on what Ben currently can do, he’s still not a whole lot younger and doesn’t bring enough athleticism or mobility that has become necessary in today’s NFL. Despite the hot start this season, the Steelers don’t have the roster to compete for a Super Bowl in 2021 regardless of who the QB is. The O-line has aged and declined rapidly, they have no quality running backs, and lose several key free agents on defense.
I think Stafford would be a great fit for the colts or niners
The Colts!
Not the Texans? They’re gonna need one after they give Watson away for next to nothing.
The Colts do make a lot of sense, Stafford is a younger, stronger armed Rivers. I doubt Stafford has Rivers’ ability to break down defenses, but his superior arm makes up for it. Key is the Colts need to stay healthy, they lost their best 3 offensive players in week 1 this year (although Hilton came back), if they do that again it won’t matter who the QB is.