Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford era to end with a trade

There is a market for Matthew Stafford

As the Lions turn the page on the Matthew Stafford era, they are now in search of their next era.

An era that may be defined by the whole Lions team if new general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell are successful in their endeavors.

However, success in the NFL is difficult without a franchise quarterback. The Lions had one for the last 12 years, but they did nothing but waste his talents by not surrounding him with a more competitive team and a more competent regime to run this dog and pony show.

With a team being built from scratch there will be plenty of growing pains ahead.

Dan Campbell will not only have his hands full turning around the culture of the Lions locker room which has been anywhere from dysfunctional to pathetic over the last 60 years, but he will have to do it with either a free agent re-tread at quarterback or handing the reigns over to a rookie.

It would seem almost a certainty that the Lions will use their top pick in the draft, number seven overall on a quarterback now. There may even be discussions about trading up, but considering the little amount of draft capital that Detroit has, they really can’t afford to do so.

Even with the possibility of acquiring a first and maybe even second-round pick in return for Matthew Stafford.

It should also be understood, there will definitely be no shortage of suitors for Matthew’s services. Teams like Indianapolis, Denver, San Francisco, New Orleans, Dallas, New England, and Pittsburgh to name a few are teams that are ready to win. If they have a quarterback.

So the trade possibilities are there and the opportunity to come away with reasonably good compensation is also there. Now that the decision has been made, all that’s left is for the Lions to find the best return and make a deal.

That will be the big move that will start the rebuilding process.