Detroit Lions: 5 trade scenarios for Matthew Stafford

Trade Scenario #3

Analysis: The Carolina Panthers are an up-and-coming team with an exciting new head coach in  Matt Rhule and plenty of offensive weapons like running back Christian McCaffrey and wide receiver D.J. Moore. They just need a quarterback to tie it all together.

Finishing 5-11 last season, with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater under center and McCaffery missing 13 games due to injury, the Panthers earned themselves the eighth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. That’s one slot behind the Lions at No. 7.

In this scenario, the Panthers allow Detroit to make back-to-back picks in the top 10 in exchange for Stafford. They throw in a couple of third-rounders to sweeten the deal. With those two top picks, the Lions could land their next great quarterback-receiver combo, a Matthew Stafford to Calvin Johnson version 2.0, for the next decade.

And with Stafford under center, Rhule suddenly has the engine to make his offense go and a chance to be competitive in a division that features the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New Orleans Saints.