Matthew Stafford could be an elite quarterback with the Saints

The New Orleans Saints may be looking for a new quarterback this offseason, and Lions’ veteran Matthew Stafford could be the perfect addition.

According to ESPN, The Detroit Lions are “actively” seeking to deal franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford. After a 12-year career with Detroit, the Lions are ushering in the Saints‘ tight ends coach Dan Campbell as their new head coach, and he’ll be entering with a new quarterback.

After quite the introductory press conference, questions floated around Campbell’s seemingly unique approach to the game.

That said, the Lions will have the No. 7 pick in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft. They could find a new franchise quarterback there as Mac Jones and Kyle Wilson should be available. But, what seems certain is that it won’t be Stafford.

Matthew Stafford, who has been to a Pro Bowl, will likely not be on the team from the sounds of the several reports that have been broken. For New Orleans, a team that will also need a quarterback with Drew Brees on the brink of retirement, they could look into bringing in Stafford.

“The Lions are expected to receive at least a first-round pick, league sources said,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote. Now, it’s tough imaging the Saints giving up such a pick, but in New Orleans, Stafford’s potential would be fully unlocked.

At his peak, Stafford threw for over 5,000 yards.

He had the most attempts in the league twice and had the most completions in the NFL once. Playing alongside the legendary Calvin Johnson, Stafford had weapons, but his dominance was wasted since the Lions could never get capable coaching or a suitable defense.

However, they did have five winning seasons in eight years. With a 64 percent completion percentage, Stafford could bring an ultra-accurate arm with him, but for his cost, it may be worth the price as the Saints have Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill on the roster.

Stafford ranked 26th of 41 quarterbacks in time to throw.

The Lions didn’t have a great offensive line, and with Kenny Golladay out, the team couldn’t get much going in the bulk of games. It was a tough season. Stafford did rank in the top 15 in average completed air yards though, so his mid to deep ball is still ultra-accurate which is a positive.

Given his completion percentage and what he was given in Detroit, there’s hope that Stafford could return to an elite level in 2021 if he finds the right team. Not considering his salary cap hit, Stafford would be a perfect fit in the Big Easy.

Sadly, given the Saints’ situation, both with their quarterbacks on the roster and their salary situation, it’s unlikely they add a player like Stafford despite his potential success with a franchise like New Orleans.