7 possible replacements for Matthew Stafford in Detroit

With the hiring of a new general manager in Brad Holmes and the expected addition of a new head coach soon, the Detroit Lions‘ focus shifts to their quarterback position. Will the new regime in the Motor City elect to keep Matthew Stafford under center?

While there are several reasons as to why this new leadership group in Detroit should retain Stafford, it’s unclear whether the 12-year passer is the right choice to led the team through yet another rebuild. Perhaps it would be better for both the franchise and the player to move on.

If that’s the case, here’s our list of seven potential replacements for Matthew Stafford in Detroit. Note that these players aren’t necessarily better than Stafford, only possible replacements if a move is made.

Deshaun Watson, QB – Houston Texans

Wouldn’t it be interesting if the Lions kicked off their new era in the Motor City by replacing the aging Stafford with a 25-year old Deshaun Watson in a blockbuster trade? After all, Watson has three Pro Bowl nods in four years. He’s clearly an ascending player and one who is ideal to lead the rebuild charge in Detroit.

The downside would be the draft compensation it will likely take to acquire him. It could be as high as three first-round draft picks, which would include the Lions’ seventh overall selection in this year’s draft.

The Lions would have to hope the Texans would want Stafford in exchange to drop that draft compensation. If not, Detroit would have to find a trade partner for their longtime passer in an effort to try and get back some of what they lost acquiring Watson.

Still, at the end of it all, the Lions would have one of the best young passers in the NFL, along with a new head coach and general manager to lead the franchise into an exciting future.