Trading for Matthew Stafford would make the Broncos relevant again
Jan 26, 2021, 6:03 AM
Matthew Stafford will hit the open market this offseason and the Broncos should be making calls to Detroit. The Broncos have a young offense, a defensive-minded head coach, and are in a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert. Stafford would bring stability at the QB position the Broncos have not seen in years.
Does Stafford make Denver a championship contender? No, certainly not. Does he make them a playoff contender? Absolutely he does.
The days of “Super Bowl or bust” are over for this franchise. With that said, you always need to try to get better and make the playoffs. With this young offense, Stafford can make the team an instant nine- to 10-win playoff contender.
Stafford is going to cost a first-round pick. He will not be worth as much as Deshaun Watson, but he will be worth a first-rounder. The Broncos should not worry about giving Detroit the No. 9 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. First-round picks are not guaranteed success, and a young QB will not elevate the Broncos the same way Stafford would.
Say what you will about Stafford, he was drafted by an 0-16 team in a division with Aaron Rodgers. He got the Lions, the worst-run team in sports history to the playoffs three times. At 33 years old, he still has all his physical abilities and could be the Broncos QB for another five years.
What would this mean for Drew Lock? Who cares? The Broncos do not have to trade him and he can learn under Stafford. In addition, health is never certain and Lock can serve as the backup while learning under a proven veteran in Stafford.
Overall, Matthew Stafford will not make the Broncos into a Super Bowl contender, but he will make them relevant again. The Broncos have been in the gutter for years; the situation is not much better than the current Lions.
The Broncos are still a much better destination, with a better history and culture of winning. Stafford can help bring that culture back to this once great franchise.
