Detroit Lions: Can Matthew Stafford reach elite status in 2018?

Entering his tenth season as the franchise quarterback under center for the Detroit Lions, can Matthew Stafford become one of the elites in 2018?

Matthew Stafford is entering his tenth season as the franchise quarterback under center for the Detroit Lions. Selected first overall in the 2009 NFL Draft, Stafford is still trying to secure his first playoff victory in the Motor City.

But during his tenure in Detroit, Stafford has always been viewed as one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL. Now, the veteran passer is considered an elder on a roster with only 10 total players over the age of 30.

Stafford had his best statical season back in 2011 when he posted career-highs in yardage (5,038 yards) and touchdowns (41). He also led the Lions to the postseason that year. But Stafford has been steadily improving the past three seasons with Jim Bob Cooter as his offensive coordinator.

From 2015-2017, Stafford has averaged 4,345 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and a quarterback rating of 96.5 per season. He had the third-highest passing yardage total (4,446) in the NFL last season.

Unfortunately, Stafford was also sacked a whopping 47 times. That was the most of any starting quarterback in the league other than the Indianapolis Colts’ Jacoby Brissett (52) last season. And Stafford was sacked that many times despite the fact the Lions signed veterans right guard T.J. Lang and right tackle Rick Wagner to pricey free agent contracts last offseason.

Regardless, Stafford lifted the Lions passing offense to become the sixth best in the NFL in 2017. In fact, Detroit had two wide receivers, Golden Tate and Marvin Jones, post over 1,000 receiving yards each. And Stafford was able to accomplish this while getting very little support in the run game, which averaged a league-low 76.3 rushing yards a contest.

This offseason, Detroit used their first-round pick to add Arkansas center Frank Ragnow to the roster. Expected to start at left guard, Ragnow’s presence should solidify this Lions’ offensive line. Motown also added veteran running back LeGarrette Blount to their backfield along with second-round rookie runner Kerryon Johnson out of Auburn.

With an improved offensive line in front of him and better running backs in the backfield, Stafford is positioned to have a career-year in Detroit. During a press conference on Thursday (via DetroitLions.com), the veteran QB shared his method of trying to improve his play with a decade of professional football already under his belt.

"“I’m always trying to find a way to be better, and I don’t see myself as a finished product really ever. Every year you go back and kind of go through your game with a fine-tooth comb and just pick out one little thing here. ‘Hey, I was working on this going into last year, did I get better at it or not? Do I still need to work on it even more?’””"

For years, many have argued that Matthew Stafford deserves to be mentioned among the elite passers in the NFL. In 2018, Stafford is set up to prove just that. With the weapons he now possesses on offense, there is no reason this unit can’t reach new heights in the Motor City.