Highest-paid player in NFL history - Losing Record
 

Pat Caputo - Absolutely Lions should make Matthew Stafford highest-paid player in NFL history
Pat Caputo - Absolutely Lions should make Matthew Stafford highest-paid player in NFL history
I was not watching Lions football until Matthew Stafford started playing.

He is exciting to watch, but it goes both ways; from crazy last minute comebacks to folding under pressure interceptions.

His statistics on paper look really good, the results in real life are less than spectacular to put it nicely.

There are news articles that Matthew Stafford used an off-season coach to improve his passing game as his probable contract extension is up this year. All I know is the fans grumblings at the end of last season were not favorable, lost faith big time.

One of the anchors/reporters on local Channel 2 Fox News said the "highest paid" trophy is going to be handed to every important renewing player because of timing of contract, and used some basketball player names as examples to make his point.

My question is who wants Matthew Stafford?

What team might he go to if not staying in Detroit?

Would you want him to be the starting QB of your home team?

Articles say he should be at the peak of his career based on physical and experience factors.

He was supposed to peak the last two seasons, wasn't he?

Why don't the Lions fire Stafford and hire Jay Cutler? I'm sure he can be gotten cheap, and he should also be at his peak.

I hear Jonny Manziel is looking for a home.

Sounds like Jay Cutler was to Chicago what Matthew Stafford is to the Lions.

Following Jay Cutler could be the best thing to happen to Mike*Glennon
Following Jay Cutler could be the best thing to happen to Mike Glennon | Chicago Sun-Times
Stafford has seven seasons behind him.

I bet there are a lot of teams in this situation, put all their eggs in one basket, build a team around a young quarterback, and then never win the big one.

Will a couple more years make a difference?

This situation has a lot in common with a low-performance stock.

Dump it now or ride it out until it fizzles?

That would be an interesting choice.

What about this Drew Brees fellow?

New Orleans Saints Rumors: Johnny Manziel To Be Drew Brees’ Replacement In 2018?
New Orleans Saints Rumors: Johnny Manziel To Be Drew Brees’ Replacement In 2018?

I'm no expert on Lions football, but it seems to me Stafford isn't their problem. Last year it seemed like the Lions had 11 men on the field playing really well individually but never could make the whole team work together.

Thats a management problem, I would think.

I thought Stafford was done for when Calvin Johnson (wide receiver) retired, but I was very wrong.

I am a fan of Stafford like I said, didn't even watch before he came to the team.

However Red Zone and crunch time interceptions are heart breaking, and although he's improved on this matter it still hurts each and every time.

01/20/16
Detroit Lions — Matthew Stafford’s 5 most impressive stats
http://www.theoaklandpress.com/article/OP/20160120/SPORTS/160129933
What I saw last year was a lot of dropped passes that should have been caught.

Not Matthew Stafford’s fault at all.

I guess that goes under the "working as a team" category.

I've been watching/recording the top college games of 2016 series.
Three times now, on separate games, the game analyst has mentioned that one of the QBs has an arm like M. Stafford.

For whatever that's worth.

Do they ever mention that a sacked QB has a fetal position like Jay Cutler? SmileWavy

^^^
I had high hopes for Cutler...a throw-back gunslinger with a great arm.
However..............................

Cutler had a few problems, not all of which were his fault:

-His offensive line was Swiss cheese. It seemed like the Bears put zero effort into protecting him.
-He spent too long making decisions. This often lead to him going down with the ball rather than throwing it away when a play wasn't going to happen.
-He seemed to value trying to make a big play downfield over a short gain that was a sure thing. He threw a lot of interceptions this way.
-He got injured often. He seemed to sit out 1-6 games every season for injury. See above for why.

Quarterback contracts are an interesting conundrum in the NFL. The dance between the Redskins and Kirk Cousins is a good example. Cousins probably isn't "worth" what he'll be getting paid, but that's the rate for a QB now. The problem is that then the team has so much money tied up in the QB that the rest of the team suffers, or they have to hope to find good young (read: cheap) talent in the draft. But the league is so QB driven, that you NEED to have a good QB.

With these superstar QBs the real question is "where would they go, if not here?" Who else would pay Stafford or Cousins $20+million a year? Would they WANT to play for that team?

Just an interesting situation, IMO.

The home he needs has lots of nice young men in white coats.

Stafford throws so hard passes do get dropped allot.

All last season I kept waiting for some Lion to spark the team but it never happened. It seems like Stafford gets beat up a lot, too. Broke his thumb late last season, IIRC.

I have wondered if it was possible to throw too hard at the professional level.

I have not read of any receivers complaining about it though.

It was not his thumb, but it was a finger on his throwing hand.

Didn't seem to throw his game off much, but it was wrapped.

I am watching the Greenbay Packers pre-season game against the Washington Red Skins.

Aaron Rodgers still has the right stuff. Delivering under pressure as always.

Lions have their work cut out for them.

From what I understand it is possible to throw too hard, even for professionals. That's why a quarterback who has a soft touch and can get the ball where it needs to go with a little less zip is so important. Aaron Rogers had it, so does Tom Brady. Farve was famous for throwing so hard he'd break his receivers fingers. But he could take the heat off if he wasn't trying to thread the needle.

Kaepernick needs a job, right?

Per what I saw on Sportscenter, Stanford led more game winning drives than any QB in history last year. Considering that he's not exactly surrounded by superstars, I think he does pretty well. And so you cut him loose, then what? Cleveland has been looking for a decent QB for about the last 25 years, it's not like they are easy to find.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brett_Favre
Brett Favre was good/great, no doubt.

Stafford is perplexing.

He throws really hard, you would think this limits interceptions - it does not.

He throws unconventionally or I should say can throw sidearm style when required, this seems to be an advantage when breaking out of the pocket and on the run - also leads to interceptions.

I can say in the two pre-season games the personal off-season training he's received seems to have paid off, interceptions not an issue.

This is not for the lack of his receivers trying to give it away, bobbling the ball in the air and tossing it at the feet of their opponents.

It's not volleyball guys, seriously don't make me come down there on the field and lecture you.;)

Aug 23, 2017
Lions roundtable: Will Detroit sign Matthew Stafford to a contract extension before the start of 2017?
https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2017/8/23/16182514/detroit-lions-roundtable-debate-matthew-stafford-contract-extension-deadline